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Thursday, 4 May 2006 | Levent OZLER
Marmol Radziner + Associates Is Honored with ASLA 2006 Awards
Glencoe Residence
Architecture, landscape, and construction firm Marmol Radziner + Associates has been recognized by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) with two national Honor Awards in Residential Design, as well as an Honor Award and a Merit Award in Residential Design from ASLA/Southern California chapter. The ASLA national awards are considered the highest level of recognition in the field of landscape architecture.
The winning projects, Glencoe and Horizon residences both received national ASLA Honor Awards. The ASLA/Southern California chapter awarded Glencoe residence an Honor Award, and Horizon residence, a Merit Award.
Glencoe Residence
Both projects complement the firm's modernist design approach, emphasizing both the close relationship of indoor and outdoor spaces and the creation of designs that are characterized by simple lines and proportions without ornamentation. In each case, a singular vision unites the building, landscape and furnishings with a shared design philosophy and language.
Situated in a narrow lot in Venice, California, Glencoe residence's design challenge was to create a series of outdoor rooms that functioned seamlessly with the home's interior spaces to reflect the clients' indoor/outdoor lifestyle. Both the interior and exterior spaces were designed and constructed by the firm. The result is a minimalist design that encompasses an entry garden, outdoor dining room and a swimming pool area.
Glencoe Residence
Located off a public sidewalk, a hidden-entry screen wall acts as a front door of the property. Beyond, the entry garden acts as a children's play area, which is separated from the swimming pool area by the outdoor dining room. The outdoor dining room, featuring a large fireplace, plays a key role in bringing the interior rooms, the garden, and pool together.
The garden emphasizes the bold lines, restrained material palette and precise geometry of the architecture. The architects utilized a palette of dark green ground covers, native grasses, and bamboos to compliment the cool gray hue of the house. The horizontal planes of the house are reflected in the rectilinear lawn, planting areas, and lap pool.
The modest lot size of the Horizon apartments was designed to complement the recently renovated 1930s four-unit apartment building. The outdoor landscaping was designed and constructed by Marmol Radziner + Associates.
The outdoor garden, located at the rear of the property in an enclosed courtyard, connects the apartment units and garage, creating an inviting communal space. Responding to the site's gentle gradient, the design features planting areas and gravel terraces, which also provide a comfortable seating area.
The palette of plants with soft, textural interest and subtle color variations is a counterpoint to the stark rectilinear lines of the gravel terraces. The raised Corten steel terraces offset the surrounding sea of plantings to create a common sitting area. To create a warm feel to this area, grape vines cover the garage wall, which runs parallel to the terrace.
The site's limited sun exposure necessitated a restrictive plant selection.
By carefully choosing a mix of native plant materials, combined with succulents and other desert plants, the architects were able to create a lush environment that felt at once warm and inviting. The result is a plant palette ranging in hues of grey and green that gently lifts the eye through the space.
Acacia trees add dramatic sculptural forms along with Vitis californica and a variety of succulents, which offer the appearance of lushness while requiring minimal irrigation. Clean lines, simple forms, and bold contrasts create an elegant design, which balances function with aesthetics within the challenges of a limited space.
"We're honored to receive our first ASLA awards," says Marmol Radziner + Associates design principal Ron Radziner. "Our landscape design expertise has evolved with the goal of integrating the design of the indoor and outdoor environments in our projects, especially as the majority of our residential projects are located in the West, where an indoor/outdoor design approach is essential."
About Marmol Radziner + Associates
Established in 1989, Marmol Radziner + Associates is an award-winning Los Angeles-based design-build firm that integrates architectural and landscape design with a full range of construction services, including custom cabinetry and specialized metal work, as well as furniture design and fabrication. Projects range from high-end residential architecture for clients such as Tom Ford, former creative director of Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent, to community-related civic buildings, including The Accelerated School, as well as award-winning historic restorations such as Richard Neutra's Kaufmann House in Palm Springs. Its work has been featured in The New York Times, Architectural Record and Wallpaper.
Marmol Radziner + Associates: http://www.dexigner.com/directory/detail/7829/
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