HILLSIDE RESIDENCE
Los Angeles, CA
Designed in 1962 by noted west coast architect Carl Maston for himself and his family, this house is located in the Sunset Plaza neighborhood high above the famed Sunset Blvd. on a steeply sloped uphill lot overlooking the city. A house of only 1,600 SF, Maston imaginatively adapted the house to the hill rather than the typical attitude of the hill to the house. Conceptually, the house was conceived as a habitable retaining wall; concrete, glass and wood were the primary construction materials.
Over the years, the house had suffered much neglect and many layers of alteration. Our client bought the property with the intent of a gentle “makeover” and ended up pursuing a full historic restoration, leaving nothing untouched. The work was tedious and forensic in nature, as every task required a lightness of touch, and the peeling away process of demolition required more finesse than even reconstruction. Along the way, modern technology and conveniences were seamlessly incorporated into the house. The result of the restoration effort yielded a meticulous structure for contemporary living while being able to convey the value and spirit of a lifestyle from a time past.
The house is listed as a Los Angeles historic landmark and due to the restoration effort; this project received a 2002 Historic Preservation Award from the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission and The City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department.
