ARCHITECT | DESIGN | BUILD 2012
What is your favorite architectural icon in the world?
Micheal Lee: I love the Golden Gate Bridge for its muscles, lack of pretense, and absolute beauty.
What architectural figure, living or historical, has made the biggest impact on your career?
Micheal Lee: Frank Gehry has done more to change the way we think and act about buildings
today than anybody else I can think of.
If you could design your dream home, what style would it be and where would you build it?
Micheal Lee: It would be a Rustic-Modern structure integrated into a coastal hillside in Northern
Santa Barbara County. Or, I might prefer to fix up a funky little beach shack on a walk street in
North Manhattan.
MICHAEL LEE
LEE
A man "equally passionate about architecture and interiors," Michael Lee does a significant amount of planning to provide his clients the
perfect blend of both. In particular, the Guglielmo-Gaines Residence on 7th Street in Manhattan Beach underwent a beautiful transformation via
Lee's efforts. Formerly a late 80's traditional spec house, it now features open spaces built to display the tenants' art. "We spent a lot of time
talking about what [art pieces] were going where," says Lee. "Unique characteristics such as art placement made it a better project to work on."
Wood furniture compliments a patio with a built in barbeque, and lighter walls to contrast the view are some of the home's modern elements.
"It was really gratifying to see the house working the way we planned with the lighting and the artwork" Lee says. According to Lee, good
architecture and great clients "who really pushed" him contributed to the design's success.
12.14.2012 | SOUTHBAYDIGS.COM
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