Modern home

Havenwood began with a family gift: a block of land in a quiet Brighton cul-de-sac. What followed tested the project at every turn—planning disputes, a drawn-out VCAT process, the collapse of the original builder, and ultimately a complete rethink of the design. From these challenges emerged a light-filled home that reconsiders the suburban backyard, placing nature, community, and long-term living at the forefront of everyday life. Tess Kelly Tess Kelly The project initially proceeded under a design-and-build contract that met planning requirements but struggled to deliver a cohesive, livable outcome. Circulation was awkward, solar access was compromised, and the spatial clarity the family had hoped for was missing. As frus... More

Design ConceptSky House is nestled within a secluded hollow on a hillside in South West England, commanding breathtaking views across the rugged landscape. To the south, the land drops steeply away, leaving the horizon dominated by sky; a constantly shifting canvas of English weather that the design seeks to capture and celebrate. The clients approached KHA wanting to transform a tired 1970s dwelling to better suit modern family life and to create a home environmentally fit for the 21st century. Within its protective new envelope of super-insulated walls and triple-glazed windows, the house now offers exceptional thermal performance while preserving the original structural core.  Dave Watts Photography This deep retrofit transfo... More

Our Hanging Gardens home is now available. Located on 5338 Highland Road in Minnetonka. While some would consider this a difficult lot, we see it as an opportunity to work with the land – wooded with lots of established trees.  JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD The design includes a turn-around drive, a stately new home with a tuck under garage and potential for two buildings: one an ADU, Accessory Dwelling Unit and one detached garage.  JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD The home is designed to be very biophilic – the idea is to be part of the nature and feel like you’re in your own oasis. Plants grow on multiple levels, and we’ve included terraces and c... More

Set atop a prominent ridgeline in Rancho Santa Fe, Pinnacle House is conceived as a contemporary estate that blurs the boundary between architecture, landscape, and horizon. Positioned on 1.9 acres with panoramic views extending across rolling canyons to the Pacific Ocean, the residence is designed as a private retreat that celebrates Southern California’s climate, light, and indoor-outdoor way of living. The 19,700 square foot compound is organized as a collection of interconnected pavilions anchored by a dramatic central living space. Floor-to-ceiling glazing, expansive overhangs, and a carefully curated material palette dissolve the distinction between interior and exterior, allowing the surrounding landscape to become an extensio... More

Perched high above the Arizona desert, Paradise Valley transforms its steep hillside site into a bold architectural composition that follows the contours of the landscape, and opens its multi-layered design towards the valley below. A modern courtyard at the entrance with seating and a water vapor feature provides an atmospheric transition from the street to the private spaces. More than somewhere to quickly pass through, this open air gathering space invites a moment of pause before entering and exiting the property.   Once inside, the 7,300-square-foot design opens up into a dramatic living space with sweeping views across the desert. Anchored by a double-height stone fireplace, the great room is the heart of the home, connecting t... More

With its modern glass wall design, moat-style swimming pool that wraps around the entire backyard, and outdoor living spaces that extend all the way from the lowest floor to the rooftop, Royal Oak offers a luxury interpretation of contemporary Hollywood Hills living. From the motor court, the entryway passes a glass-walled display garage, before climbing floating stairs over reflecting pools and fire features to an elevated front door. Here, a light-filled gallery draws arrival deeper inside. The open plan main floor is composed of a series of everyday living and entertaining spaces. Family, dining, kitchen, and gathering areas all flow from one to the next, while open volumes and transparent floor elements allow views to pass throughout... More

Designed for the contemporary Brentwood lifestyle, Bonhill brings together open plan living, abundant natural light, and a central outdoor pool terrace at the heart of its design.  From the street, a visually textured exterior of stacked stone, warm wood, and expansive glass beneath deep roof overhangs lends the home a sense of sheltered privacy, while it remains remarkably open.  Inside, the design is exceptionally cohesive. A library, living room, dining room, bar, and kitchen all unfold within a series of interconnected spaces, while a concealed workspace, walk-in pantry, and private guest suite are incorporated into the surrounding plan.  A sculptural wine wall and strategically placed light well add visual interest an... More

Set within a quiet Hollywood Hills setting, Rising Glen is conceived around an unusual arrival, where the resort-style pool terrace becomes the first expression of the home’s indoor-outdoor lifestyle. The main floor is set within an open plan, with a family room, dining area, and kitchen extending onto outdoor living spaces, both front and rear. The pool terrace brings together a 52-foot swimming pool with spa, sunken fire-side conversation pit, ponds, sculpture, and areas for lounging, dining, and barbecuing, while the backyard opens onto a quieter garden with a lawn, mature trees, and water feature. The upper floor houses private accommodations and rooms for wellness, work, and relaxation. On one end sits the primary suite with a... More

Set within a quiet residential neighborhood in Encino, Los Angeles, High Valley is a modern courtyard residence organized around a single, expansive outdoor living space, and the result is a luxury home that balances openness, privacy, and contemporary California living. From the street, the architecture presents a quiet composition of floating horizontal roof lines, warm wood cladding, textured stone, and expansive glass. A generous motor court leads to an entrance framed by reflecting pools and fire features, establishing a calm arrival, before the home opens up to the spaces beyond.  At the heart of the design, the living room, dining room, family room, kitchen, and bar are arranged around a central courtyard, anchored by a modern... More

Designed for a constrained Hollywood Hills site, Hedges transforms a compact footprint into a modern home where architecture and outdoor living unfold across multiple levels. The home’s minimalist exterior reveals only glimpses of the light filled interior beyond, but once inside, the home opens up into a spacious light filled foyer with double height glass walls, a floating staircase, and glass floor detail that adds a sense of interconnectedness between the different levels. Organized in an open plan design, the living room, kitchen, and dining area open directly onto an outdoor terrace that’s the social heart of the home. With casual seating, a fire pit feature, barbecue, and infinity-edge swimming pool, this outdoor area a... More

Our client wanted a home that is a nod to her Asian heritage. That was a key starting point in the design but along with that they wanted a modern home with an open floor plan which drove some of the character of the home in terms of massing and details. Landmark Photography Landmark Photography Landmark Photography Landmark Photography Through design iterations with the client, we developed the idea that the great room space would be a two-story vaulted space that would allow a lot of natural light in, with tall, full-height windows, not small transom windows. Landmark Photography Landmark Photography Landmark Photography Landmark Photography We were working with a large wooded site, so figuring ou... More

In Los Angeles, where the landscape is as much a client as the human resident, architecture becomes an act of translation. This Beverly Hills hillside home, conceived by Whipple Russell Architects, answers a geologic challenge with sculptural serenity — a cascading Mediterranean retreat that follows the natural slope of its ridgeline parcel with grace, restraint, and reverence. Simon Berlyn Simon Berlyn Simon Berlyn Simon Berlyn Perched on a steep incline without a single flat pad, the home emerges not as a monolith, but as a rhythmic series of terraced levels — each responding to topography, setback, and sun. A three-story stack was prohibited by geology and code; instead, the home steps elegantly down the... More

For this design, we put a lot of thought and effort into how this house would be integrated with the landscape. Likewise, we put a lot of effort into details, like integrating gutters that your can visually see. That kept our lines clean and modern. And the outdoor living spaces mean this modern home is ready to embrace summer. Lighting design surrounding the home give it its luminous feel. JMAD JMAD JMAD More

Modern meets indoor outdoor living. Designed in a flat-roof style, the long overhangs are anchored by two stone chimney masses. This home has a long driveway that wraps around an existing pond, revealing the home as you progress down the drive. JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD We designed a steel channel detail on the facia, creating a subtle industrial look and a unique roof edge detail that’s crisp and clean – and not interrupted by gutters or downspouts. Doors from the sunroom take you right out to the terrace and pool areas. JMAD JMAD JMAD More