Palisades Rebuild – The Embrace House + ADU

Pacific Palisades, California

We are proud to be one of the 40 visionary architectural firms participating in Case Study 2.0, a revival of the historic Case Study House Program. We’re providing aesthetically refined, fire resilient architectural plans to empower communities impacted by the fires to rebuild beautifully, resiliently, and affordably.

Designed for a changing world and the future of living. This is the remaking of home. www.casestudy2.com

The “Embrace House + ADU” adds a splash of character to this reborn Pacific Palisades community. A somewhat modest option for rebuilding, the design places more importance on efficiency and leaving room to grow, than on maximizing the total area of the structure. In doing so, it will be an effective option for those seeking to rebuild effectively and efficiently while being cost-conscious. The backyard is left with space for a family to create their own outdoor oasis, or to later add an ADU. In essence, the home is meant for comfortable living, with generous spaces both inside and outside.

Composed of a sweeping design gesture, the curving face of the upper level does double-duty by pulling light and views into the home, while also creating a sense of interior privacy that allows for intimate moments within a mostly open plan. The double height family space, filled with always-changing light from strategically placed windows and skylights, enlarges the perception of the space within. Large glass doors face out to a deep backyard, from which you can look up and across the space to the large window facing the sky on the other side of the home.

We’ve vowed to not make this home a white stacked-box, so we’ve applied a rich earth tone, finishing the lower level with a smooth stucco, while the carved volumes above reveal the texture and shadow play of deep corrugated metal cladding.
While simple, efficient and open, the home does utilize resilient building methods to ensure future safety. Further technological enhancements may also be added anytime to bolster its resiliency. And in those cases where an expansion of the home’s footprint is desired, the simple design allows for a multitude of changes to both the floorplans and the home’s overall size. Window placement and size, appliances, fixtures and finished can all be changed to suit your needs.

Also, as an added benefit, the structural design for both projects are approximately 85% complete, and this cost savings will be passed on to the new owners.