Despite an increasing density, Los Angeles continues to drift and expand boundlessly into undeveloped territory necessitating compact growth and infrastructural overhauls. Within the context of global urbanization, the past decade has provided opportunities to address outmoded patterns of residential development and domestic space in Los Angeles. A renewed interest in an urban lifestyle has prompted private development of higher density alternatives in a city that has long been infatuated with single family houses and private gardens. Our Shutter Houses proposal was initiated by a desire to embrace density and optimize the building volume within a densifying Hollywood neighborhood. The building is conceived as an abstract volume wrapped in a seemingly random pattern of windows which creates a sense of unity amongst the dwellings. The windows, each carefully positioned function as framing devises for the surrounding urban context. A series of operable shutters enable residents to individually modulate shading and privacy which in turn expresses use. In automated mode, the shutters respond to environmental conditions, creating light-modulating privacy screens in the dynamic facade.

TYPE: Housing
STATUS: 2004-2008, Completed
AREA: 1.300 m2 | 13,860 sf 
BUDGET: 3.3M USD
VISUALIZER: PAR
ARCHITECT: Jennifer Marmon, Partner In Charge, Bertrand Geniost, Pooya Guidarzi, Matthew Ribault
ARCHITECT OF RECORD: Jay Vanos Architects