Floating Translucent Box House - Venice CA

ARCHITECTURAL CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS
Venice Beach as a community is evolving from neighborhoods of tightly woven 1900's era bungalows to modern multi-story homes. Silicon Beach and an influx of tech companies, like snapchat, google, yahoo and many more, are making local property values some of the highest in the nation, per square foot. The rising real estate values are making both home buying and home remodeling a more challenging endeavor.

Architects Robert Choeff and Krystyan Keck wanted to expand the size of their 1913 Bungalow on Carillo Street. The challenge was the home already occupied the full area of the lot, so going up was the only solution but major renovation to the existing structure would have required the addition of a garage and a complete rebuild. Additionally, it could require adhering current setback requirements and they would have drastically lost ground floor area.

The renovation goal was to take the 800 square foot home, purchased in 2003 for $450k and add an additional 500 square foot with a budget of $400k.

Photo credit: Aaron Spohn

The solution, leave the bungalow intact and float a modernist cube over top. 4 posts float the addition structure entirely over the existing homes roof with only a small connection for a stairwell.

Photo credit: Aaron Spohn

The cube exterior has a semi-translucent polycarbonate skin leaving the space awash in light and beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

Photo credit: Luke Gibson

Wood construction members and steel beams and recycled-jeans-insulation are left exposed and visible Inside and out.

Photo credit: Luke Gibson

Large windows open across the neighborhood roofs and allow ocean breezes to waft through.

Photo credit: Aaron Spohn

A flat roof connected by a 3-story staircase adds an open use space lacking at the ground level. Whether for entertainment, a play area or for sunning the usable square footage is a desirable enhancement.

Photo credit: Luke Gibson

With the work of Frank Gerhy in the area you might consider that a challenge or an inspiration but these design pioneers say the Koolhaas' Kunsthal museum in Rotterdam, is a more applicable influence.

Photo credit: Aaron Spohn

The now 1,341-square-foot, one of a kind house, is asking $1.549 million.

Photo credit: Aaron Spohn

Explore in Google Maps 3D:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/1564+Cabrillo+Ave,+Venice,+CA+90291/@33.9891123,-118.4648869,23a,46.1y,311.62h,69.22t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c2babfb2a43ee7:0x5c2ec153d4f866ac!8m2!3d33.9895344!4d-118.4652483

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