An iconic Austin office building, built in 1960, has undergone a complete renovation by local architecture firm, Mark Odom Studio. Cantilevering towards North Lamar Blvd, this mid-century structure is nestled along a main Austin thoroughfare and integral midtown park district.
Meredith and Tyler Spears, owners of the heritage and family operated insurance company BKCW, bought the building for its iconic mid-century architecture which they felt reflected their company culture, attitude, and goals. The project then began not only as a full renovation of the 3,000 square foot office building built in 1960 (by architects Pendley & Day), but also as an adaptive reuse, ensuring the true preservation of the original building.
The clients of The Sanctuary, recent empty-nesters planning ahead to retirement, hoped to downsize and simplify in the design of their new Palo Alto home. When the clients purchased the property, an old wooden fence across the front yard and original house closed off the site from the street. Behind this rough and aged presentation however was an urban refuge of lush vegetation throughout the deep lot. This sense of discovery served as the original inspiration for the design of the house and directed both architect and client to its culmination.
When Exalt—a non-profit that supports teenagers who have become involved in the justice system—relocated their headquarters to Lower Manhattan, the organization hired CIVILVN to transform a cramped space in a 1901 office tower into a flexible and open facility that would empower participants to succeed in educational and professional environments.
To make the most out of the 4,000-square-foot space, CIVILIVN designed the new headquarters to seamlessly convert between an office and a classroom, tripling Exalt’s operational capabilities and helping the non-profit expand its reach to better serve youth across all five boroughs.
Situated on a sloping hillside with ocean views in a typical residential neighborhood, this project was an extensive renovation of an uninspired house that failed to take advantage of the obvious assets of the property: the views. Although no square footage was added, the interior spaces were completely reorganized, taking down interior walls and reorienting living spaces to open up to the incredible views of the Pacific Ocean. Living, dining, study and kitchen were combined into one common space that is framed by a 9’6” high and 40’ wide opening that pockets away completely, revealing uninterrupted views of the ocean. The master bedroom was also redesigned as a single set of flowing spaces. Bedroom, bath and closet have no doors separating them and of course are open to the ocean view. The simple material palette of concrete floors, stucco exterior, Rhinezink panels and walnut cabinets was another strategy to keep the architecture focused on the site and place.
Originally built in the 1960s, the challenge for this project was how to update a mid-century modern house without sacrificing its charm. Situated on a 1.3-acre site perched on a plateau above Coachella Valley, the rugged, inhospitable Santa Rosa Mountains rise immediately from the back yard; bighorn sheep can often be seen wandering on the rocks above. The 6,357-square-foot house sits roughly in the middle of the property; entry is off the driveway and through a private courtyard.
The client’s goals were to create an open and light filled home that maximized views of the Coachella Valley below and the Santa Rosa mountains to the south and west. They also wanted to create a fluid connection between the primary indoor rooms and the outdoor terraces both for entertaining and for casual outdoor living with their young children.
Composed of three pavilions connected by a series of glass hallways, the single-story residence seeks to create a residential oasis in the heart of Los Angeles. The Western Red Cedar lined guest house/garage pavilion establishes a datum line that carves and connects the two larger volumes of the living and sleeping pavilions, comprised of oversized charcoal-colored board, batten extira and cement board siding. A deep overhang mitigates solar heat gain and shields from the sun exposure.
A walkway of concrete pavers, lined by wild grasses leads to the front door, passing a tranquil courtyard with olive trees. The entry to the house is located within a glass hallway connecting the living pavilion to the west and the sleeping pavilion to the east, establishing a sense of intimate scale before engaging with the other parts of the house.
After 5 years of design and construction, ODA New York has completed Denizen Bushwick, 1.2 Million SF residential wonderland featuring 911 apartments, 20% affordable housing units, 15 mega-murals, 100,000 SF of outdoor space and a full suite of curated amenities. ODA designed the entire development, architecture, interiors and landscape design.
To date, Denizen is one of ODA’s largest projects, and one of the largest residential projects in NYC. With it, ODA envisions a more connected future for this area. Denizen is welcoming and inclusive of the community around it, while providing a sense of ownership and personalization for the people living there. In areas of rising urban density, ODA is working to create transparency and belonging through art, public space and community involvement.
Drawn to this historic Italianate residence, a landmark in Capitol Hill’s Harvard-Belmont Historical District, the new owners knew they needed a design firm that would respect the home’s historic exterior yet bring a modern sensibility to the interiors, which had long ago been compromised through a series of ill-conceived remodels. The palazzo-style residence—built in 1910 (one year after the famed Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition and designed by Washington, D.C. architects Hornblower and Marshall)—had been commissioned by noted entrepreneur, lawyer, and railroad executive Samuel R. Hill. The five-story, 11,000-square-foot home is built entirely of cast-in-place concrete. Unique in construction, the house is thought to be the oldest of its kind on the west coast. Channeling the innovative spirit of the home’s original construction and owner, a strategy was devised to bring the home into the 21st century. The multi-phased approach involved preserving as much of the exterior of the house as possible while re-envisioning the floor plans of each of the five floors for contemporary living.
This custom modular home was designed to leverage existing prefabrication methods by working within factory limits to efficiently produce a home specific to the client and the site. Here, the client’s brief called for a casual, light-filled summer retreat, centered on maintaining a fluid indoor-outdoor connection with exterior spaces for lounging, playing, and entertaining.
While the house is larger than the nearby cottages, it was important to the clients to be a good neighbor. So, the main level is broken into two smaller volumes and clad in weathered gray cedar. Without a formal front door, a welcoming tree-lined autocourt leads to an entry deck. This covered deck is created by a spanning second story that defines the threshold between public and private.
“The design of this home explores organic forms inspired by the topography, shoreline, and water to enhance the connections between interior and exterior, the built and the natural.” –Kirsten R. Murray, FAIA, Design Principal.
This single-family home for a couple with young children provides an open, flexible living space that supports family life, as well as an adjacent workshop and garage for the owner’s avid interest in car restoration. Gently curved roof forms are inspired by the topography of the site and Lake Washington’s undulating shoreline, creating a sculptural grouping of buildings on the site. A light approach to landscape preserves the site’s existing trees, including a Japanese maple that frames the front entry. Durable materials provide long-term, low-maintenance protection against the wet climate.
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