Mar Vista Residence

An intimately 850 square-foot redwood, beach cottage built in 1948 stood on the site under a dense grove of eucalyptus trees. Programmatically, the owners wished for 2,500 square-foot living space for a family of four. The design evolved into a compound of structures in which the original cottage is connected to a separate, new structure suspended by a bridge above a central courtyard. The bridge became the meditating element between the old and the new. The original cottage contains living spaces, while the new structure contains living spaces such as the kitchen and dining room. A sculptural interplay of material, light and space integrate the original and new structure into a harmonious whole.