Los Angeles, California, USA
“The overall intent of the design was to respect the historic structure and integrity of the home while restoring and updating the finishes and fixtures so they’re tailored for the owner’s modern lifestyle,” states architects Brett Woods and Joseph Dangaran.
Los Angeles architecture studio Woods + Dangaran led by Brett Woods and Joseph Dangaran have given the Twentieth -Moore House a new lease on life in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Los Feliz.
The Twentieth -Moore House has recently been awarded a 2022 American Architecture Award Honorable Mention, by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
Originally designed by Craig Ellwood in 1965, the residence is one of the finest examples of what California modernism had to offer; midcentury interiors, open plan spaces, clean and sharp volumes that are softened by the use of wood, architectural gardens, and glazed expanses that afford long views of the cityscape beyond.
The house, however, had fallen into ruin until Woods and Dangaran were awarded the commission to bring the Ellwood landmark back to life with extensive restoration and a new extension, as well as an upgrade to preserve the longevity of the structure to meet contemporary performance standards.
The current owners are a married couple—he an app designer and she a photographer—who wanted to update the house while preserving many of its original details, drawn to Los Angeles midcentury architecture.
Located on a hillside in Los Angeles, the single-story, 1,700-square-foot rectangular house sits atop a tall, concrete block foundation and has glass walls set within a redwood frame.
Wooden steps lead to glazed entry doors that slide open and closed.
The exterior received a full update. New glazing was installed, and the existing wood structure and fascias were restored.
Inside, the home has a fluid and straightforward layout. The main suite occupies one end, and a guest bedroom and an office are located at the other.
The central portion is turned over to an open area for living, dining, and cooking.
Woods + Dangaran updated finishes throughout, including textured plaster on the ceiling and honey-colored teak flooring.
Rooms are furnished with both vintage and contemporary pieces that work in concert with the home’s mid-century aesthetic.
Like other areas of the home, the main bedroom suite features neutral colors and a restrained material palette.
Teak was used for wall cladding, a floating console, and a pair of bedside tables.
Outside of the home, the team added a new 60-foot (18-meter) lap pool and a concrete deck with a fire pit. An existing koi pond was kept intact.
“It was important to us to keep the structure because it really was classic Ellwood,” said Joe Dangaran.
Project: Twentieth -The Moore House
Architects: Woods + Dangaran
Original Architects: Craig Ellwood (1965)
Structural and Civil Engineers: Labib Funk and Associates
General Contractor: GHBW
Landscape Architects: Chris Sosa
Arborist: The Tree Resource
Client: Private
Photographer: Joe Fletcher
