Perched above the city of Los Angeles, California, USA this contemporary home by VOID Inc. cascades elegantly down its sloped lot, providing residents with privacy as well as energy efficiency and protection from harsh sunlight. According to the architects: The project’s function attempted to address the public’s desire to restore the magnificent views of Mulholland Drive as much as it propels the aspirations of the client. Its sunken nature provides not only a clear outlook of the San Fernando Valley for the tourists and onlookers, but it provides a penumbra of relief from the west lashing sun. In addition to creating a stepped and integrated profile for the building, the resulting platforms were each used as a deck surface, all the way to the roof deck. The cool roof material not only provides energy saving features, it also provides a monocoque aesthetic that emboldens the roof for being the most visible feature of the house from Mulholland Drive. The deliberate use of extravagantly wide stairs enables the thirty-six foot ascension to become a transparent stroll, largely unnoticed.
