Following our previous visit to AUX Architecture, we are keeping our Meet Your Next Employer series in Los Angeles this week to explore the work of RIOS.
Founded in 1985, the firm employs approximately 280 team members across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Asia Pacific. Last month, Archinect reported on the firm’s proposal for One Beverly Hills, designed in collaboration with Kerry Hill Architects and Foster + Partners, while several of the firm’s projects were recently honored at the 2024 LA Architectural Awards.
Over on Archinect Jobs, the firm is currently hiring for several positions to join their Los Angeles team. For candidates interested in applying for a position or anybody interested in learning more about the firm’s output, we have rounded up four contemporary Los Angeles homes by RIOS that exemplify the firm’s ethos.
Shifting Boxes is formed of seemingly irregular stacked volumes whose positions were rotated to provide maximum privacy for two townhomes, each with a second-floor bedroom and roof deck. Situated on an urban site with no consequential views, the blocks are angled to focus views inward toward a shared central garden.
The rotation not only creates a sense of distinct rooms within the design but also softens the visual impact of the homes, making them feel less dominant compared to other two-story houses in the neighborhood. For the scheme, RIOS performed architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design services.
The Venice House was carefully shaped to embrace the client’s dream Venice lifestyle, blending indoor and outdoor living. Designed to fully optimize a narrow lot, each room connects directly to outdoor spaces, giving the home the aura of a garden pavilion. Meanwhile, the side yards feature minimal yet functional landscaping, enhancing the sense of openness.
Behind the home, a long swimming pool and infinity-edge spa extend the feeling of spaciousness, leading the eye toward the guest house at the rear of the property. In the central entertaining area, sliding glass doors disappear into the exterior walls when fully opened, creating an uninterrupted flow between the indoors and the poolside.
The design of the Ledge House seeks to strike a balance between simplicity, elegance, and refinement, according to the design team. The 1,100-square-foot residence is composed of cascading ledges, each extending to porches that frame views of the Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. The seamless flow of materials and colors from the interior to the exterior blurs the boundary between the indoors and outdoors.
The surrounding garden, featuring 85 California plant species in tonally harmonious hues, is interwoven with pathways that wind across the sloping site. Planted with yellow-toned flowers, foliage, and fruit, the garden is designed to come alive during the dramatic hues of sunset.
The New Barn reimagines a traditional vernacular barn house form with a sleek, contemporary update for modern living. At its core, the expansive central space adheres to the open volume and minimalist lines of a classic barn, but refined with details that accommodate daily family life and social entertaining.
As the original house was well-positioned on the site, with an orientation capturing direct canyon views, the design preserves its footprint to maintain an ideal placement.
Meet Your Next Employer is one of a number of ongoing weekly series showcasing the opportunities available on our industry-leading job board. Our Job Highlights series looks at intriguing and topical employment opportunities currently available on Archinect Jobs, while our weekly roundups curate job opportunities by location, career level, and job description.
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