Perched atop a Bel Air hilltop, Orum is a three-level, 18,800-square-foot home designed to subtly “float” above its environs.

Given its prominent positioning above a relatively developed neighborhood, the motivation behind the design of Orum was to create a residence that could meld into its surroundings while maximizing views. The three-story structure, which takes on the shape of a three-winged propeller, is wrapped in glass that mirrors its sweeping views of the Los Angeles Basin that remain unobstructed from the Getty Center to Long Beach, Century City, and Downtown.

When we first approached the project, the direction the design would take was not immediately clear. Balancing scale, views, and comfort would prove to be the project’s biggest programmatic challenge. The client wanted a luxurious house where she could throw large events and host her extended family, but she also wanted it to feel cozy and welcoming. To make this work, the home required that the various zones of the home (public/entry, family/public, and family/private) remain distinct but flow into one another with ease. Following several iterations and explorations, we determined the answer was to distribute the spaces across three “blades” that would radiate from a single node.

This central confluence—a dynamic glass and steel staircase stretching through the core of the structure—would in fact serve two purposes: (1) practically, it would provide a very straightforward answer to the vast home’s circulation; (2) visually, it would join otherwise disparate areas in one’s line of sight. Indeed, despite the scale, the home manages to feel both warm and functional.

The home’s defining glass curtain-wall is a highly sophisticated glazing system custom developed with Sky-Frame. The structure utilizes five different widths of four different opacities—reflective, opaque, translucent, and clear—that as an ensemble give the structure a visually shifting, shimmering façade.

Altogether, Orum rises two stories above ground with its third floor burrowed into the hill. Programmatically, the residence has been split into three levels each consisting of three wings. The ground floor provides the entry and communal spaces for gathering, while the top floor is dedicated to the home’s private spaces. The upper southwest and southeast wings of the home hold the master and mini-master suites, both of which are afforded 270-degree views of the city and ocean thanks to their slim profiles. In contrast, the two smaller bedrooms are contained within the northern wing and are embraced by the site’s adjacent hillside and the rear garden, giving them a more intimate feel akin to being in a treehouse.

The outdoor area includes a kitchen, two fire pits, and an LED-lit pool. All roof, balcony, and hardscape water is directed to a 7,000-gallon underground tank for landscape irrigation. The main garage also serves as an event space and can be completely opened on two sides for through views.

The basement level has been outfitted with a home theatre, gym, spa, cedar sauna, service kitchen, and a wine room. Also accessible from this floor is The Cube, an attached guesthouse designed for family and staff. The Cube is outfitted with four bedrooms, four baths, a kitchenette, and dedicated access and garage.

A highly custom residence steeped with intricacies, Orum took four years to construct.