Lyric Residence

Los Angeles is often thought of as a flat city, but ironically much of the architecture that it’s known for are modern hillside homes.

Throughout Los Angeles’ modern history, the availability of relatively inexpensive hillside property has appealed to adventurous clients and architects who saw its potential, and developed the expertise to meet the site’s challenges. The complexities of these lots require structural and siting ingenuity that characterizes these modern homes, and in turn has come to define Los Angeles architecture.

After the birth of their second child, Luke and Astrid Raimondo quickly realized that they had outgrown their previous home, also designed by Casey Hughes Architects (CHA). Luke, a commercial real estate broker, found a vacant lot on a quiet residential street in the architecturally significant neighborhood of Silver Lake. Although the area is highly sought after, previous architects and builders had deemed the site “unbuildable,” so it languished on the market for decades.

Luke, who has a keen eye for opportunity, asked CHA to reevaluate that conclusion. After some research, CHA determined that the site was indeed buildable, and Luke crunched the numbers and found that they could build their dream home for well below market value. They decided to move forward with the purchase and commissioned CHA to design their home. 

CHA began the design by researching the zoning regulations to determining the 3-D “envelope” (maximum building height, minimum building setback distance, maximum build area, etc) that the building must fit within. Unlike flat lots that are a relativity open canvas, the Lyric residence’s zoning envelope was so constrained that it dictated much of the home’s exterior form.

With the maximum building envelope in mind, CHA determined the optional room layout for the three-bedroom, three-bathroom house. The home was divided into 4 levels which were stacked to follow the site's topography and to decrease the required site excavation, while optimizing the building’s foundation. The resulting home minimized construction costs and disturbance to the site while, allowing the home to capture the spectacular views towards Silver Lake.

The sides of the home are clad in matte cement board, which provides a gravity that counterbalances the weight of the hill. By contrast, the front façade is almost entirely comprised of large windows and sliding doors that open to balconies and the view. The front façade follows the angle of the street, creating a trapezoidal plan and giving the building the appearance of being smaller than it actually is. Horizontal wood slated balconies protrude from the façade, extending the interior spaces outdoors. These slats allow an unobstructed view from inside the home, but provide privacy when viewed from the street. A vertical band of statuary marble runs on the interior and exterior from the second level to the roof, unifying the front façade and giving a subtle nod to the home’s modern lineage.

The second floor is comprised of an open office and guest suite that is located close to the entrance so the guests can come and go as they please. The third floor is an open plan kitchen, living room and dining room with the 12-foot high ceilings and full-height windows, which gives the house a lofty feel and unhampered views. The building steps 15-feet back on this floor to create an outdoor room that seamlessly connects to the living areas with full-height stacking doors.

The top of the house meets the grade at the rear, allowing the roof deck to extend into the rear yard.  A huge dining table, BBQ, and other amenities bring interior comforts to this roof area connecting the house to the beautiful site.

The pleasure of being in the house is at once the feeling of steadiness and buoyancy. The home feels enveloped by the earth, while looking out to expansive views. The perceived weight of the walls provides a satisfying contrast to the view and lightness of the atrium and stair that playfully winds through the home.