BIG & small
Starting with a vacant lot that was half of the typical minimum lot size, the objective was to compensate for the relatively small footprint of the house.
To achieve this there are only 2 full height walls inside the house which makes the main interior room nearly as large as the building footprint. This gives the house an open lofted feeling with very high ceilings and abundant natural light.
It is an inversion of expectation, so that the smallest house contains the largest room. What the house lacks in square footage it provides in volume.
The free plan of the vacant lot is preserved since the house touches the ground only at the four small piles, giving full access to use the space between the house and the lot. The footprint of the foundation is in fact less than 20 sq.ft. and the house doesn’t touch the ground at any point.
The plan of the house follows the shape of the site which is an asymmetric parallelogram. This form resulted in unusual geometry inside and outside the dwelling and explains the shape of the house. The elevations of the house are designed to mirror the plan.
Date of completion: April 2012
Address: 3931 Cazador Steet, Los Angeles, CA 90065
Clients: Jon Behar/ Joyce Campbell
Architect: Anonymous Architects/ Simon Storey
Photographer: Steve King
Lot Area: 2,500 sq.ft
Building Area: 1,200 sq.ft
Cost per sq.ft: $175
Single story with loft
Building footprint: 900 sq.ft
Method of construction: Concrete pile foundation; steel (primary floor structure - cantilevers); wood floor, walls and roof
Primary materials:
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Standing seam metal roofing and siding
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Aluminum dual glazed windows
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White oak floors, feature wall and kitchen countertop