Hasta La Ideas

A recessed balcony carves a rectangular hole in the facade of a writer’s house in north Hollywood.

Narrow batons of red cedar clad the two-storey house, which was designed by American architects Casey Hughes.

This untreated wood is expected to patinate to a soft grey colour.

A translucent bathroom encased in acid-etched glass sits adjacent to the sheltered balcony and leads into an open-plan first floor living room.

On the ground floor are a kitchen, a bedroom, a second living room and a second bathroom.

Walls inside the house are lined with sheets of plywood.

We recently featured another Hollywood house on Dezeen, which overlooks the famous sign – see our earlier story here and see more stories about projects in California here.

Photography is by Nicole Katz.

The following description is from Casey Hughes Architects:

The writer’s studio was designed for a woman who lives alone. A primary intention was to create a building that would provide enclosure and security while remaining open to the exterior.

This condition was achieved in part through carving an atrium into the north façade which fills the studio with indirect light while providing privacy from the neighbors.

The treatment of the exterior further emphasizes this paradox through the use of a redwood screen that forms a rough protective layer around the building while imbuing it with lightness and transparency.

Sun Screen

The exterior of the building is clad in 2” by 2” redwood slats that screen the skin of the building. A 4” gap between the screen and the buildings exterior creates a transparency and play of shadows that enlivens the façade, and softens the buildings mass.
The effect of the light coming through the screen is similar to the light filtering through the trees behind the studio, creating an intimate relationship between the building and it’s surroundings.

Wood

The redwood of the screen has been left untreated. This was designed both to reduce maintenance, and to allow it to patina to a silvery gray that will soften the appearance of the exterior, further connecting it to its natural surroundings. The interior walls of the building are clad in 2’ by 8’ sheets of Maple plywood, treated with a mixture of beeswax and linseed oil, to create a natural durable surface. The plywood walls were designed to add warmth to the interior, causing the light entering the building to cast a tranquil glow. The subtle grain of the plywood paneling contrasts beautifully with the white ceiling and stair wall, giving them a crisp and clean appearance.

Light

Most of the windows are placed on the front façade of the building, capturing the soft northern light. A panoramic window wraps the corner of the front façade, echoing the horizontality of the neighborhood. The window was designed to frame a cluster of iconic giant palms, which make the view undeniably Southern California. Standing at these windows, the viewer has a sense that they are in a control tower, surveying the landscape.

A balcony, enclosed in glass, was excavated from the north side of the building to act as a light-well, filling the space with light, but also maintaining privacy from the neighbors to the east. This balcony is covered by a redwood pergola, which further softens the light and creates pleasing shadows that track the sun’s movement.

4 square skylights, arranged in a row above the stairwell, bring light filtered by the trees at the rear of the site into the studio’s south side, and deep into the first floor.

Climate Control

A long vertical window on the rear façade of the studio, designed to frame the trunks of the trees behind the studio, also catches the cool breeze coming off the creek that runs along the rear of the property. Cool air is drawn through the studio and exits the larger windows in the front, making air conditioning unnecessary on all but the hottest days, where the exterior temperature can reach in excess of 100 degrees.

The redwood screen on the exterior of the studio was designed to not only shade the building from the sun, but to allow air to flow between the screen and the building’s skin which helps it maintain an even interior temperature throughout the day.

Lantern

The powder room on the east side of the balcony is enclosed on two sides with translucent acid etched glass. The room is fitted with lights in a reveal along the back wall that make the powder room glow like a lantern at night, filling the spaces beyond with a soft defused light.

See also:

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Minimumhouse by Scheidt Kasprusch Architekten	V12K0102 by Pasel Kuenzel Architects	D House by Panorama

Fir trusses create triangles that meet in the middle of the ceiling at a community hall in California designed by Siegel & Strain Architects.

A grid of tension cables supports the structural trusses, while slatted pine panels fill the spaces between them.

A central skylight runs along the length of the ceiling to provide natural light.

The 25 metre-long hall has large wooden doors resembling those of a barn.

The hall was completed by the architects in 2009, as were a library, youth centre and meeting rooms contained within the same building.

Other popular multi-purpose halls featured on Dezeen this year include one with an arched steel shell and another with a facade of shutters.

Photography is by David Wakely.

Here’s a more detailed description from the architects:

Yountville Community Center

For decades, the residents of Yountville, California, a rural town in Napa County, relied on a small 1920s-era community hall and a hodgepodge of rented spaces to host community events. The hall was in need of renovation, ill-equipped to support art classes and lacking in outdoor recreation spaces. In addition, the town had outgrown its library. In 1998, after surveying residents’ needs, the municipality embarked on a planning process for an expanded town center at the heart of town.

The Yountville Town Center opened in November 2009, weaving new and existing buildings and outdoor rooms into a place designed to enrich community life. Designed by Siegel & Strain Architects and located on a 2.5-acre site on Yountville’s main street, the town center consists of a new 10,000-square-foot community center, the renovated 4,800-square-foot community hall, and the addition of a sheriff’s substation to the adjacent post office. The new community center houses a branch library, multipurpose room, teen center, and meeting and program spaces. It opens onto a new town square framed by the existing community hall and the post office.

Building exteriors blend with the rural character, while inside the spaces are light and airy. The large multipurpose room, 80 feet by 50 feet, is day-lit along the roof’s spine by a ridge skylight, which has splayed walls that soften the light as it enters the room. A unique combination of Douglas fir trusses and cables enables the roof’s structural support system to have a minimal presence in the room and avoids blocking daylight from above. A large, covered porch of red cedar on two sides of the town square connects the community hall and community center, providing shade in the summer. Barn doors extend the multipurpose room onto the adjacent barbecue patio.

Targeted to achieve a LEED Platinum rating from the U.S. Green Building Council and to achieve energy savings of 44% over Title 24, the design integrates a range of green features. Walkways and bike paths connect the center to surrounding neighborhoods and main street activities. Exterior sunshades, a highly insulated building envelope, and “cool” standing seam metal roofs reduce energy use.

Energy-efficient mechanical systems are integrated with ground-source heat pumps for heating and cooling. A building integrated management system takes advantage of the temperate climate by opening skylights and windows on days with mild temperatures. Operable skylights, controlled by CO2 and rain sensors, and operable windows provide natural ventilation and balanced natural illumination.

Roof-mounted photovoltaic laminates on the new and existing buildings supply energy. Water-conserving plumbing fixtures, harvested rainwater, drip irrigation, subsurface irrigation, and drought-tolerant native plants further reduce water use. The existing parking lot was regraded to slope naturally so that rainwater could be harvested in a bioswale. Overall, site design reduces storm runoff by 40% over preconstruction conditions.
Building materials were selected to minimize life-cycle impacts and provide light and airy interiors free of formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds. Buildings feature durable, recycled content cement-fiber shingles and metal roofs. The new building’s red cedar cladding and Alaskan yellow cedar sunscreens and entrances are regionally harvested. Slatted wood ceilings are locally sourced white pine, and the existing community hall’s oak floor was reused. Over 75% of the wood is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Sustainability may not have been stated as part of the original vision, but the desire to incorporate green design grew over time as the project developed, championed by both civic leaders and the community. Now Yountville has a new “front porch,” bringing together residents of all ages while blending an agrarian vernacular with time-honored sustainable practices.

Architect: Siegel & Strain Architects
Location: Yountville, VA
Client: Town of Yountville
Date of occupancy: December 2009
Gross square footage: 20,000
Construction cost: $9.8M
Contractor: Swank Construction

Structural Engineer: Endres Ware Architects Engineers
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing: Timmons Design Engineers
Civil Engineer: Coastland Civil Engineering
Landscape Architect: John Northmore Roberts & Associates
Lighting: Alice Prussin Lighting Design
Commissioning: Enovity Inc.
Specifications: Topflight Specs
Construction Manager: Pound Management

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Milson Island Sports Hall by Allen Jack+Cottier	Sports Hall by Franz Architekten & Atelier Mauch	Community centre by MARP and Dévényi és Társa

A luxuriously spacious concept car perfect for necking and long leisurely drives

Championing the glory of leisurely driving, Cadillac‘s stunning new open-air handcrafted concept car speaks to luxurious motoring while focusing on simplicity. There’s no question that this car says that Cadillac can (after many years) once again define American luxury; it looks clearly toward the future though respectful of the brand’s heritage.

Inspired by the California coast (the car was designed by GM’s LA-based Advanced Design studio) the Ciel—”sky” in French— is designed to comfortably seat four adults, featuring elegant lines and an elongated proportion that is surprisingly just a foot longer than the American manufacturer’s angular CTS Coupe. The Ciel sports a 3.6 liter V6 engine too, but it’s complimented by a hybrid system that uses lithium-ion batteries.

We had the chance to speak with members of the car’s design team during its debut at Pebble Beach: Clay Dean, the Executive Director GM Advanced Global Design and Cadillac Brand Director, Niki Smart, Exterior Design Manager, and Frank Saucedo, Director of the Advanced Global Design studio. The team spoke about wanting “to put some swagger back in Cadillac.” The same team worked on last year’s more angular and considerably smaller Urban Luxury Concept car, though the Ciel is more an exercise in restraint and simplicity and the traveler’s journey. It’s about going there as much as it is about arriving there. Smart adds “There are so many things graphically around the car, but when the science gets so good that it’s invisible, that’s truly art.”Dean elaborates, “I think it shows a nice bandwidth in what we’re thinking about at Cadillac right now and the versatility of the team.”

Selecting the color was a long and heated debate, finally resolved by taking pictures of how it changes in different light. Named Cabernet, the car’s color reflects various pigments of red, yellow and gold hues depending on how the light strikes it, like holding a glass of red wine up to the sun. The interior boasts an equally beautiful surface, with the inside of the suicide doors, the panel, console and front seatbacks made of solid wood from a singular fallen olive oil tree, recycled from a west coast olive oil producer. The designers took interest in making the interior as simple and clean as possible. The cabernet and sand leather interior features a laser-perforated design and wraps the entire interior space.

The team spoke at length about staying true to the original vision throughout the design process. Whenever they got stuck or felt they were veering too far from it they pulled out the original sketches, which we were fortunate to track down exclusively for our readers.

Dean says, “How many things can I take away that I don’t need to be bothered by?” To that end, zippers keep the contents of the storage areas contained, and the rear LCD screens are cleverly hidden by a sliding leather panel. The climate system is piped through a channel that surrounds the car instead of traditional vents. The dashboard is simplified and features technology that more seamlessly integrates with your phone and your data.

The studio worked with local vendors, including Metalcrafters for the body work.

Invoking dreams of romantic cross-country excursions or drives up the coast, the Ciel comes equipped to fulfill these sentiments: The low console, which spans the length of the vehicle’s interior, is kitted out with a humidor and cigars, a compartment stowing a cashmere blanket, drawers stocked with suntan lotion and sunglasses, and armrests with ambient lighting for nighttime drives. “Luxury is not something that you need. It’s something that you want,” explains Dean.

Physically manifesting the feeling of what it formerly meant to own—and drive—a Cadillac at the pinnacle of its reign, the Ciel, if manufactured, has the potential to be a future classic. Perhaps it will be known as the car that reestablished Cadillac’s reputation as a benchmark of living the American dream.

See more details of the Cadillac Ciel in the CH gallery below. To learn more about the car’s specs and to see videos of it in action, check out the dedicated website from GM.

Here are some new images of the Apple campus by architects Foster + Partners, to be built in Cupertino, California.

The hoop-shaped office building will be located a few blocks away from Apple’s existing headquarters and will accommodate up to 13,000 employees.

The campus will provide office, research and development facilities, as well as a company fitness centre, a cafe and a 1000-seat auditorium.

A circular park for staff is proposed for the centre of the building.

Two further buildings will provide additional research facilities, whilst an onsite power plant will provide the majority of electricity for the campus.

Dezeen announced that Norman Foster was working on designs for the Apple campus back in December – see our earlier Dezeen Wire.

Other projects this year by Foster + Partners include an Abu Dhabi shopping centre that combines high-end boutiques with independent local food and craft markets and headquarters for Moroccan bank BMCE in Morocco – see all our stories about Foster + Partners here.

The following project details are from the architects:

Apple Campus 2

Project Overview

Apple proposes to create Apple Campus 2 – an integrated 21st century campus surrounded by green space.

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This new development will provide a serene and secure environment reflecting Apple’s values of innovation, ease of use and beauty.

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The state-of-the-art office, research and development facilities include strategies to minimize energy demand, reduce car travel and increase the use of reclaimed water.

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The single building comprises approximately 2.8 million square feet over four stories.

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Campus amenities will include a striking café within the main building, a separate corporate fitness center and a corporate auditorium seating 1,000 people. Parking will be provided under the main building and in one multi-story parking structure along the 280 Freeway.

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The Campus will feature an on-site low carbon Central Plant situated along the 280 Freeway that will supply the majority of the power needed for the Campus.

In addition, research facilities comprising approximately 300,000 square feet will be located east of North Tantau Avenue. These buildings will house technical support functions that need to be located adjacent to the main building.

Project Objectives

The objectives of the proposed project are to:

• To maximize efficiency and convenience to Apple’s employees, develop a news campus in close proximity to Apple’s Infinite Loop Campus.
• Create a new campus that provides for co-location of services and consolidation of employees in a single distinctive office, research and development building, thereby promoting shared creativity and collaboration, reducing the overall building footprint on the site, and maximizing the amount of landscaped green space.
• Create a physically unified campus community that respects Apple’s security needs (in part through perimeter protection), improves internal circulation and eliminates unnecessary access points by consolidating the existing properties within the campus.
• Optimize the site design to balance cut and fill operations to the maximum extent practicable and create a grading plan that accommodates the single distinctive building design.
• Respond to Apple’s current and future business needs with a campus plan that maximizes employee use and incorporates design and use flexibility to respond to future business needs.
• Minimize the reliance on electricity provided by the grid by generating a significant amount of the Campus’s energy needs at an on-site Central Plant.
• Accommodate up to 13,000 employees.
• Provide an expanse of open and green space for Apple employees’ enjoyment.
• Create a distinctive and inspiring 21st Century workplace.
• Exceed economic, social, and environmental sustainability goals through integrated design and development.

Owner: Apple, Inc.
Architect: Foster + Partners
Engineer: ARUP
Planning Consultant: Kier & Wright

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Stockholmsporten masterplan by BIG	Masdar Institute campus by Foster + Partners	West Kowloon Cultural District by Foster + Partners

Artisanal caramels from California with distinct salt flavors

Wanting to share her distinctly flavored caramel products with a broader audience, CC Made founder Cassandra Chen teamed up with her cousin, Emily Hou, to create their line of artisanal caramels. Once reserved for lucky family members, the California-based product is now sold in gourmet food stores all over the state. Offered in three variations—Bitter Sea Salt, Madagascar Vanilla and Himalayan Pink Salt—the caramel confections are each flavored by a different salt added to a base blend of cream, sugar, butter and corn syrup.

The creamy consistency of caramels delivers rich, mouth-watering flavor. Infused with the right amount of salt, these soft caramels do not overwhelm the palate with sweetness. The muted sugary tones melt away as quickly as the candy in your mouth does. The lightly bitter finish was satisfying to some, but those with a serious sweet tooth hoped for a little more body. Bitter Sea Salt emerged as our favorite, especially after we cooled the treats in the fridge (this trick helped the unique salt flavors come through and firmed up their consistency).

While Cassandra’s focus is on the recipe, Emily is responsible for the confection’s bold packaging. As pleasing to the eyes as the caramel is to the tongue, each box is backed by a bright graphic that varies in colorways according to flavor. Resembling abstracted tree branches, the graphic card inserts can be removed from the box and reused.

CC Made can be found at these CA retailers or ordered online. A box of around 12 caramels sells for $6.50. If you’re craving caramel in other forms, check out their caramel corn and keep a look out for their line of caramel sauces available in select stores.