36 DIGS.NET
| 10.30.2020
P R O F I L E | S T U A R T S I L K A R C H I T E C T S
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t is the second project designed by
Stuart Silk Architects for this couple
with young children, who, for their
home in Rancho Mirage (located 10 miles
southeast of Palm Springs) dreamt of
having open and light-filled spaces that
maximized desert and mountain views.
"Our clients wanted a one-story plan
that captured the feel and brightness
of other mid-century modern homes in
the region," Principal Stuart Silk says.
"The biggest challenge was to totally
re-envision the layout and overall
organization of the existing home."
Also, notes the firm's Senior Associate
David Marchetti: "We had to create a
design that balances period-specific, mid-
century modern charm with modern
detailing and flow so that the house feels
contextually appropriate but still current
and fresh. To transform the originally
compartmentalized design, portions of
the existing foundation and roof structure
were repurposed; new brick walls, steel
trellises and large roof overhangs were
introduced; the living room and kitchen
were opened to two open-air terraces; the
master bedroom was reimagined to open
out to a private garden featuring a statue
of St. Francis; and the swimming pool—
previously positioned in the courtyard—
was relocated and paired with a spa in
the rear yard; among other changes.
Aesthetically inspired by the work of
Richard Neutra, Le Corbusier and Mies
van der Rohe, Stuart Silk Architects
thoughtfully considered every detail—
from the columns that refer to the
iconic German Pavilion (also known as
Barcelona Pavilion) to the decorative
metal screens and concrete blocks (which
act as brise-soleil) that were commonly
used in many Los Angeles and Palm
Springs houses from the 1940s, '50s and
'60s. "Although we wanted to capture the
sensibility of other mid-century modern
homes from the region, we didn't want
to simply mimic or mime," Silk explains.
"We tried to take ideas from a variety of
sources to create a unique expression.
For instance, we chose not to simply
clad the home in stark white stucco.
That just seemed too obvious. Instead,
we incorporated brick with an off-white
coloration." Other examples: colorful
tiles in the bathrooms and kitchen, and
glamorous furnishings and textiles
throughout the home.
On the exterior of the house, which
occupies a 1.3-acre site, traditional stucco
combines with brick and bronze metal
accents, providing a sense of timelessness
and tactility. The custom steel columns—
PHOTOGRAPHS:
COURTESY
OF
DAVID
PAPAZIAN
