View From Street

Vail Grant Residence

The design of the Vail House was generated by the integration of two disparate forces: the mundane requirements of the
regulations imposed by zoning codes, economic constraints
and the technical challenge of building on a steep hillside,
and on the other hand the careful attention to the very specific condition of the site itself and to its surroundings. This
made the project a unique expression of the generic and the
specific.
As opposed to a classically Modern approach, where the site
conditions and the landscape are perceived as a mere backdrop for the building and remain untouched, this project is in
large part directly related to the topography and engages with

Living Space of Street Unit (left), interior stair (right)

the landscape, diving into the hill at points and breaking away from it at others. Consequently, the building becomes an abstracted, facetted reading of the landscape that contains it.
Although the building appears to be a direct response to the topography, much of its shape
actually derives from a translation of the complex setback and stepback requirements of
the hillside ordinances as they relate to this site. The zoning codes require a lower building
height towards the street and permitted a taller structure further up the hill. By that means, it
was possible to build relatively close to the street and establish a relationship to the smaller
scale in the surroundings, while being able to increase the height further back in the lot and
thus taking advantage of the spectacular views.

Project Location: Los Angeles, California

Project Size:
1,800 SF
Project Date:
2006