Location: Los Angeles. California, United States Year of construction: 1991 Architect: Franklin D. Israel Photography: Richard Bryant! Area id
The design for the House Arango-Berry in Beverly Hills is based on an original 1950s structure that has been redesigned and completely renovated.
The ground plan of the original structure consisted of two rectangles joined on one of their long sides. The extension work was carried out in the parallelogram opposite to the one incorporating the entrance, and consisted primarily of building a bathroom and dressing rooms. The galvanized metal sheeting used for both these structures was also used to cover the roof of the entire building.
The extension and renovation work created a huge structure consisting of two massive, rectangular parallelepipeds united by the large roof. The heating, air conditioning, and air vents were installed in the roof space.
Although Franklin D. Israel’s design retained the existing swimming pool, the surrounding brick wall was extended to the new, blue – stuccoed concrete wall that forms the boundary of the yard. This blue-stucco facing is the most important constituent element of the exterior space. As well as using it to link the new garage with the main entrance, the architect also used it to border the gallery leading to the living area, incorporating it in the interior space.
The slightly different interior levels of this single-story house are linked by flights of steps.
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Partial view of the original roof and pool of the house, a typical example of southern Californian architecture. |
Right-hand page: This panoramic view of the living room shows the exceptional lighting provided by the spotlights on the wooden beams.
Detail of the metal shelving on the wall of the corridor.
An original piece of furniture with an abstract painting in the foreground.
The kitchen seen from the living room. The wooden sculpture is a symbol of welcome.
The original structure of the 1950s interior has been retained. Large glass windows and translucent concrete panels offer views ot the modern city.
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The interior decoration has been renovated. For example, the unit containing the television and hi-fi, the fireplace, and even the bed in the master bedroom are made of polished steel paneling.