STEVEN EHRLICH

Schulman Residence
BRENTWOOD, CALIFORNIA

Schulman Residence
BRENTWOOD, CALIFORNIA
Embracing the curved topography of its canyon location,
the Schulman Residence blends with the natural contours
of its site and the vegetation of its surroundings so well
that it appears to bond with the landscape. The house is
set on an ample canyon lot with a large, informal back
yard,
ard gently
gentl defined by
b three hillside slopes.
slopes Underground
Undergro nd
garage space minimizes the intrusion of automobiles on
the property. To separate public and private spaces, the
9,000-square-foot residence is broken into a pair of two-
story wings. Acknowledging the traditions of early
California Modernism, the house incorporates poured-in-
place concrete walls for the entry facade and milered-
glass corner windows, recalling the residences of
Rudolph Schindler The rational ordering and the
extensions of the Interior structure to outdoor spaces pay
homage to Richard Neutra. As the design evolved, the
parti of the two symmetrical wings was modified to meet
site con- straints and programmatic requirements. The
current arrangement carves out a landscaped forecourt,
in an approach conceived as a journey of transition from
the chaotic outside world to a tranquil private world.
Modeled on classic Japanese gardens, the forecourt
features traditional p
planlings,
g , a wooden footbridge,
g , and
the sound of falling water. The architect aligned the north
wing, which contains ihe master suite on the upper floor,
with the slope. This wing was then extended and
articulated with clerestories and a greenhouse addition,
At the juncture of the two wings, an entry gallery and a
double-height living room form a central unifying
space,The entry slices through a pair of 30-foot-high,
poured-in-place concrete walls that embrace each of ---
A floating bridge joins the two upper floors,
floors spanning the
width of the entrance gallery, and heightening the
symmetry of the wings.
STEVEN EHRLICH
Hempstead Residence
Venice , California

Hempstead Residence
VENICE, CALIFORNIA
The Hempstead Residence evokes the work of
Mexican architect Luis Barragan. Its bold
composition of colorful planes, planes confident
geometric spaces, and deep recesses makes an
appropriate setting for the client, a television and
film director. To take advantage of Southern
California's mild climate, the 2,400- square-foot
residence Is designed to merge interior spaces
with the outdoor environment. The pool, patio,
and surrounding stone walls appear as
extensions of the living room—a simple, nearly
square area with a 12-foot-high ceiling. Natural
light floods this room through beamed skylights,
large-scale doors, and deeply recessed windows.
On the second floor, the master suite
features eight-foot high ceilings which,
In conjunction with the rooms
rooms' ample
proportions, emphasize the horizontal
aspects of the space. To counter the
decidedly open configuration of the
house, the architect created a sense of
solidity and privacy with walls that vary
from 18 to 30 inches in thickness. The
rich colors of the exterior stucco walls
are repeated inside the house.The
same shades of burnt sienna and
yellow ocher appear in the details of the
living room and master bedroom
fireplace mantels. Door and window
surrounds are stained fir, Irregularly
sized stone,
stone quarried in Idaho,
Idaho is used
both inside and out, and the entrance is
marked with copper cladding. A trellised
carport doubles as a shaded, covered
space within the informally landscaped
arboretum.