Project Name: 003 "Moseley Residence"

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Project Description

Credits

This Pasadena 4,200/sf home was designed to take full advantage of two major elements. The first was the extraordinary 1.6-acre site that is three-quarters the way up the grey-green Linda Vista hillside, with a spectacular 180-degree view overlooking the Rose Bowl to the entire San Gabriel Valley beyond. Next was the client’s collection of Northwest Coast Indian art, featuring an 11-foot Haida-style totem pole, commissioned for their previous house. These needed to be integrated with the private, adult lifestyle and diverse interests of the clients.

To accomplish the program, the architect’s concept employs two separate structures with a garden pool court between. The main house symmetrically unfolds from the central axis of the triangular site to accommodate daily living spaces, including living, dining, kitchen and garage to one side and master bedroom, bath/dressing on the other all open to the phenomenal view. Amazingly, there is a complete woodworking shop as part of this symmetrical layout.

In the opposite direction from the mountains is a view more intimate, across the pool to the carved cedar totem, which is in a lighted alcove, veiled behind a curtain waterfall. The second structure, which is reached by walking behind the waterfall, includes a very private and enclosed guest suite with its own garden entrance. This element of the house also includes movie projection room and a spacious office with private gardens and views out across the hillside.

The building site, a triangular-shaped slice of the hillside with the apex pointing North-North-East toward Mt. Wilson, was smaller than had been revealed in the sale. The architects turned the problem to a creative advantage by cantilevering portions of the house beyond the site. This maintained the original proportion of the design while adding new drama, as the structure appears to hover over the hillside.

The single-story structure is steel and wood-frame construction, with a stucco exterior to meet hillside fire regulations. Natural stone and woods are used throughout to complement the natural environment of the landscaping and surrounding site.

The architect’s innovative solution resulted in two major focal points and an ever-changing mood of spaces, allowing the residents to focus inward or outward with an equal sense of drama.