700 Palms Residence by Steven Ehrlich

The 700 Palms Residence was designed and completed in 2003 by Steven Ehrlich, and is located in Venice, Los Angeles, California. The house expresses a counterpoint between a sense of harmony and tranquility with flowing, dynamic spaces. Flexibility and transformation are fully realized through the use of wood-and-steel frame structure, enclosed and shielded for privacy by a roll-down scrim hung on a skeletal steel frame. By maximizing volume, light and privacy on a narrow lot with sensitivity to scale and context, the design presents raw, honest materials appropriate to the grittiness of the Venice environment. The house dissolves the barriers between indoors and out, creating flexible spaces that take advantage of the benign climate. As sustainability was a major concern, the design integrates concrete flooring to absorb the sun’s warmth in the winter, operable windows and large sliding doors to facilitate natural ventilation and low-maintenance recycled materials.