Nestled in the hills of the Fryman Canyon Estates area in Studio City, California, the Oakdell Residence is a remodel and an addition to an existing 1960’s mid-century home. The clients asked for an open-floor experience to maximize views of the surrounding landscape.

A meandering path of concrete panels, set amidst the landscaping and decomposed granite, leads to the entry foyer of the house, comprised of a frameless glass wall with floatable four windows. Together with the floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors on the other side of the house the residence gives a sense of transparency, bringing in ample light and extending the living area outside the house and into the landscape.

The living areas, dining and the kitchen are visually connected by zig-zag-sliding doors that open to the garden featuring a pool, shaded by broad roof overhangs that mitigate sun exposure at the full-height window walls. The family room, adjacent to the kitchen, is dropped down a few steps, thereby separated yet seamlessly connected with the rest of the main floor.

The two-story addition consists of a master bedroom on the upper level and an office on the lower level, integrated into the hillside and taking the advantage of the home’s canyon site. The thin roof plane keeps with the mid-century horizontality and the original sensibility of the house.

A minimalist palette of stone, hardwood floor and while plaster echoes the qualities of the existing home and preserves its original spirit and character.