California Art House switches up the norms of entertaining
The Art House, designed by Buttrick Projects Architecture+Design, updated a classic 1920s California home into something thoroughly modern. Located in Palo Alto, California, the home adds three additional small structures on two adjacent parcels of land. It also keeps the original home where the owners raised four children. The new buildings hold an art collection, playroom and workspace to create a private courtyard.
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Additionally, large UV-filtering glass windows maximize natural light for the artwork. It keeps it from fading in the sun, while corrugated zinc scrim at the second level softens the daylight entering the home. The home features large, glass sliding doors that disappear into pockets to create indoor-outdoor living spaces.
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Furthermore, the largest and newest structure is the Art House. This is where the art is housed, which doubles as a space for entertaining guests. The owners purchased the lot next door to their original home when it came on the market a few years back. Also, it gave them more space to work with the renovation. There is now art storage and a studio in the rear of the property while the new and original houses sit up front.
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A pool and a small lawn connect the buildings in the backyard. Bedrooms in the houses face the street. Meanwhile, living room and kitchen are in back facing the courtyard, which creates maximum entertainment space in the private yard.
In addition to the zinc facade on the second floor, cementitious panels are attached over metal “hat channels.” This is to reduce direct thermal transfer, thus reducing the need for air conditioning and helping to keep rain off the house. The new house mirrors the old house’s blocky vocabulary, connecting them visually even though they are not touching.
Inside, curtains dampen reverb to make the space feel quieter. The homes have a “cool roof” with heat recovery ventilation. There is also dense-packed cellulose insulation and ample LED lighting inside.
As a result, the home inverts the normal layout of houses by designing large open windows at the back for views of the private yard. It’s a house for entertainment, for appreciation of the artwork and for peaceful relaxation with family.