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oxford triangle house
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Venice, CA
2,500 ft²
Single Family House
2020
Residential
Situated on a highly constrained triangular parcel bordered by streets on three sides, the residence engages directly with Venice’s historical fabric—specifically along a former 1905 electric streetcar line. The home’s massing and raw materiality serve as a deliberate counterpoint to the neighborhood's prevailing Craftsman bungalows and postwar stucco vernacular.
The massing and section are heavily informed by international vernacular precedents. Drawing from the sunken cooling courtyards of Kashan, Iran, and the lightwells of London row houses, the design carves out a subterranean void between the public sidewalk and the building envelope. Ground-floor spaces are sunken three feet below grade and shielded by a dense perimeter of foliage, maximizing above-ground living footprint while drawing natural daylight and coastal breezes into the lower levels while maintaining absolute privacy.
The project is constructed primarily from an industrial palette of board-formed concrete, expansive glazing, and raw copper. Both interior and exterior materials were selected specifically for their aging properties. Elements such as the raw steel staircase railings, smoky plaster bathroom walls, and the exterior copper and concrete are intentionally left untreated to naturally oxidize and patinate over time.
Operating as a net-positive energy residence, the home integrates rigorous high-performance systems. Active environmental interventions include a rooftop photovoltaic array with battery storage, solar thermal vacuum tubes for domestic hot water, and radiant floor heating. Additionally, a thermal transfer system captures excess summer heat and redirects it into the swimming pool.
Principal:
Design Team:
Matthew Royce
Meike Kroger
Photography:
Sam Frost
Edmund Sumner