9133 Oriole Way, Los Angeles, CA.

9133 Oriole Way is in the esteemed ‘Bird” streets, an area coveted by the younger, highly successful members of the entertainment industry.  The site was originally occupied by a home, built in the 30’s, which was owned by the singer Dido.  Nearby residents include Leonardo de Caprio, Johnny Depp and others.  Located minutes from Rodeo Drive, and the Sunset Strip, it has sweeping views across the entire LA basin, from the Getty Center in Westwood to the west, southerly across the coastline and the Palos Verdes peninsula, to the downtown skyline to the east. This 12,000 sf home has all of the amenities that this audience requires, including gourmet kitchen, dual living rooms, family areas, offices, underground parking for an 8 car collection, a theater, gym/spa and a 2000 sf master suite.  The site slopes steeply towards the southwest, and originally had a very small workable footprint.  We expanded the site by designing an elevated swimming pool which extended the entire length of the western edge of the site.  Using the uphill wall of the pool as a retaining wall, we created a large flat yard area, rare in the hills. The developer, Sean Sassounian, asked us to create a hybrid design, one which utilized the openness and clean geometry of modern designs with a slightly greater mass typical of more traditional structures.  The result is a metamorphosis of some traditional elements and a more modern architecture.  Finish materials were selected both for their warmth and their elegance.  Split-face white limestone, white plaster, expansive moving walls of glass, and preprinted steel panels dominate the exterior. Interior materials include expansive use of exotic hardwoods and marble.