Belzberg Architects

SKYLINE RESIDENCE, LOS ANGELES

Nicholas Tamarin -- Interior Design, 12/1/2008 12:00:00 AM

You could easily mistake this house perched on a Hollywood Hills ridgeline for an Entourage location. But, in fact, it's the 5,000-square-foot eco-conscious home of architect Hagy Belzberg. "It's about treading lightly on the land," he says, which may be difficult to credit given the structure's size. Yet Belzberg oriented the long volume to capture the prevailing southwest ocean breeze, and built in heat deflectors, including a dramatic 14-foot-tall concrete flap that completely shades the entry and a facade-spanning screen comprising horizontal slats of recycled wood composite. Theatricality on the exterior gives way to simplicity in the interior, marked by polished concrete flooring and huge glass pivot doors. The 1½-acre site also features a 1,000-square-foot guesthouse, its plaster end wall doing double-duty as a movie screen.

Arthur Casas Architecture and Design

project Shells Beach residence, São Paulo, Brazil.

standout Natural materials including dark wood help this indoor-outdoor house blend into its lush tropical setting.

Clive Wilkinson Architects

project Norwich residence, Los Angeles.

standout Upon entering the front gate of the architect's own property, visitors get a full perspective of the site, looking past an olive grove, through the glazed living room, to the backyard and swimming pool.

Marmol Radziner and Associates

project Vienna Way residence, Los Angeles.

standout Custom walnut cabinetry, floor-to-ceiling glazing, and a color palette of grays, browns, and greens define this home's rectilinear volumes.