A SCULPTED HOME ABOVE LOS ANGELES

Located in the Bird Streets of Los Angeles, the Blue Jay Way residence is organized around the steep hillside and the expansive views from the site. Rather than sitting entirely above the slope, much of the house is carved into it, allowing the building to follow the terrain while opening toward views extending from Downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Ocean.

The house is organized vertically around a central open space that connects the roof deck, interior living spaces, and lower garden and pool. A sculptural stair moves through this space, creating multiple paths through the house and connecting the different levels of the site. The roof deck provides a direct connection to the street above, while the lower level opens to a more private garden and pool.

The roof is shaped as a broad, folded form that responds to the geometry of the site and the character of the surrounding hillsides. Its profile also references the bird's wing, a subtle connection to the Bird Streets and the name of the street itself.

The design takes advantage of the hillside to create natural separation between levels while using orientation, shading, natural ventilation, and the surrounding landscape to improve the home's environmental performance. Views, circulation, outdoor space, and the relationship between the house and the hillside are treated as integral parts of the design.

The result is a house that is both embedded in the landscape and open to the city, with a sequence of spaces that changes as you move from the street above to the garden below.

PROJECT TEAM: COLBY MAYES, TIMOTHY WALSH, TREVOR KIDD,

COLLABORATORS: S&W BLUE JAY WAY LLC. (CLIENT), PLUS DEVELOPMENT, CREST REAL ESTATE, PLUS DESIGN (INTERIOR DESIGNER), JOHN LABIB + ASSOCIATES (STRUCTURAL ENGINEER), GROVER-HOLLINGSWORTH & ASSOCIATES INC. (GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER), PLACE LLC (LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT), WILL SMITH (CIVIL ENGINEER), BURNETT & YOUNG INC. (SHORING ENGINEER), GREEN MEP DESIGN & BUILD INC. (MECHANICAL, PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL), OCULUS LIGHT STUDIO (LIGHTING ENGINEER)