DIGS is the premiere luxury real estate lifestyle magazine serving the most affluent neighborhoods in the South Bay and Westside of Los Angeles, California.
Issue link: https://www.southbaydiggs.com/i/1547560
P R O F I L E | A S S E M B L E D G E + W hen you are an architect and you tackle the challenge of designing your own home, it can easily become a little bit of an obsession. "It was extremely difficult to spend time not thinking about the project," confesses David Thompson, principal and founder of Assembledge+. "It permeated my every waking moment. But I loved every minute of it." Composed of three pavilions connected by a series of glass hallways, the 4,900-square-foot single-story residence, largely shaded below the surrounding tree canopy, is a true oasis in the heart of Los Angeles. Located in the foothills of Laurel Canyon, the project offers the architect, his wife Jamie, their two daughters Lyla and Zoe, and dog Georgie a secluded and inwardly focused experience against a majestic backdrop of lush and mature trees seen through large windows, skylights and pocketing doors that let in abundant natural light. "We had been looking for an opportunity to acquire property that would afford us to be more connected with nature," says Thompson. "We love being outside and wanted to be able to extend our living experience into the landscape." The fluidity between areas, he adds, "has been designed for uninterrupted entertainment and creates a harmony of transparency and lightness." The use of simple and unaffected materials including western red cedar, darkly painted cement board and glass help to merge the architecture with its context. "The glass bridge connecting the guest and living pavilions makes metaphorical reference to geological history, spanning bridge-like across an old creek that once ran through the property," Thompson notes. "The slight grade change in our 'flat' lot proved to be the main challenge, [so] we decided to embrace and incorporate [it] into the design. It works out beautifully and you can see it in effect with the step-down living and family rooms." The gradual step-down design allows for a seamless flow from the interior rooms to the exterior, he explains, "… and helps to give the rooms definition in an otherwise open concept floor plan." Inside, spaces decorated by Susan Mitnick Design Studio feature white oak hardwood floors and marble countertops that foster a feeling of warmth. For example, in the kitchen designed in continuity with the breakfast room and family room, custom charcoal painted cabinetry complements calacatta cremo marble surfaces. Separated from the courtyard by a walkway and tall grasses, the bedroom wing— with an expansive master suite that, like the living room and family room, is sunken, at grade with the pool area—also focuses on the constant connection with the natural surround. "We are so fortunate to live in a climate that affords the opportunity to live outdoors all year around and, in a way, treat the entire site here as we are accustomed to treating interiors," Thompson says. Honoring this lifestyle, the rear of the house opens up onto a 1,284-square-foot garden with a 40-foot-long pool, outdoor lounge, fire pit and ipe wood deck that blend with the public spaces of the home. A R C H I T E C T U R E + D E S I G N 52 DIGS.NET | 11.13.26