Dagdagan Residence

Located on a corner site in a hilly neighborhood in West Los Angeles, the residence is two stories above a subterranean garage and basement. The sloping site provides a natural separation from the street below the main level creating privacy for all the living areas. Passive sustainable elements in the building take advantage of a north-south orientation on the site, with the least surface exposure to the south and capitalizing on the warmth of the morning sun. Thermal mass from raised concrete floors maintains a balanced temperature in all living spaces throughout the year. The corner sloping site fronting on two streets allowed for an irresistible opportunity to create a private compound with no apparent “front door,” an inspiration from the Japanese tea houses and a shift in the paradigm of Western architecture. The structural system is a combination of structural steel and wood framing.