The Venice Beach Contemporary Craftsman, or VBCC House, started as a renovation project for a growing family's small bungalow-style home. The design goal was to create an open, connected space that would flow from front to back, making it perfect for entertaining and taking advantage of the cool Pacific breeze. Glass sliders on either end of the house allow for the wood flooring and ceiling to seem to extend into the decks and surrounding landscape.
As you approach the house from the street, you're led along a wall of charred wood and an exposed cantilevered glulam beam, up concrete steps to the unique entry door, which features a built-in filtration planter that extends into the house through the large side lite of glass. A second floor was added that includes three bedrooms, accessed via a central open stairwell filled with light from large northwest-facing windows and three skylights. The highest skylight is designed to be opened, allowing natural ventilation to circulate air throughout the house.
The main bedroom has a private balcony with views of the Santa Monica Mountains and a wood railing that extends into the room and becomes an architectural built-in headboard and wainscoting. Clerestory windows in the main suite allow the wood vaulted ceiling to extend out to the eaves, creating a sense of the roof floating above the structure. The main bathroom has a low wall with a frameless glass transom that unifies the suite while maintaining privacy and keeping the view of the corner window, which provides natural light for the tub.
The VBCC House was designed with special attention to fenestration and orientation, ensuring that natural lighting, ventilation, and privacy were balanced throughout the structure. This, along with the use of natural materials and a visual connection to the landscape, creates a calming oasis within the vibrant atmosphere of Venice Beach.
Team:
Architect: Conner + Perry Architects
Photography: Elizabeth Daniels
