ARCH TOUR FEST: El Paradiso

Photo Credit: Jim Simmons

ARCH TOUR FEST: El Paradiso

El Paradiso (also known as the Grossman House) is the only existing all-aluminum house by Raphael Soriano, FAIA,. Architect Linda Brettler, AIA, embarked on a renovation in the spirit of the original, transforming it into a home and architecture studio for herself. Working from original blueprints, she updated the1964, 3,800-square-foot house to returned it to its ideal state, while reworking inappropriate earlier revisions. To make it more inviting and incorporate her own design vision, she discovered and embellished upon the house’s original sense of whimsy, color, and surprise. Situated on an oblong lot in the hills above Studio City in Los Angeles’s San Fernando Valley, the house’s perpendicular orientation and flowing functional floor plan allow for privacy and views from all rooms.

One of the more unusual aspects of the open-plan layout is that areas are separated by cabinetry rather than walls. These floating cabinetry units made from Micarta (an early form of high-pressure laminate) are designed to reflect the purpose and proportions of a room’s use. Brettler conducted an exacting restoration of the original features. Secondary lighting and LED replacements update the home, as do the addition of electric shades, new appliances and plumbing fixtures, and cork flooring. Original laminates, terrazzo, and cork walls were rehabbed with care. The Grossman’s scrapbook of the house is an added bonus for tour-goers to view the original process.

Tour Led by:

Linda Brettler, AIA, principal, Linda Brettler | Architect

Linda Brettler, AIA, has been a licensed architect since 1992. Her Los Angeles-based practice concentrates on creating single-family homes that fit her clients’ lifestyles. Brettler’s original architecture tends toward a natural contemporary approach, while her renovation work often entails updating older properties for today’s needs. Her delight in details and materials is evident in the masterful tile work that has become her trademark. Prior to opening her own practice in 1996, Brettler worked at award-winning architecture firms, including Moore Ruble Yudell and Brenda Levin and Associates. She holds a BA in biochemistry from Harvard University and a Master of Architecture from UCLA. Brettler has served as the Cultural Heritage Commission’s Architect appointee for three Historic Protection Overlay Zones, and as a Board Member of the LA Conservancy.

Architect: Linda Brettler | Architect (Raphael Soriano original architect)

Building Credits:

General Contractor: M.S. Elite
Landscape Architect: Dee Paul
Landscape Contractor: Luis Estrada
Structural Engineer: Philip Manalo
AV/IT Engineer: Barry Shepherd

AIA CES: 1.0 LU Approved

Learning Objectives

Participants will experience the authenticity of a carefully restored one-of-a-kind modern home.
Participants will be able to outline details of painstaking restoration and see how empathetic changes maintain the spirit of the original.
Participants will be able to describe the ingenious use of space and the ability to create privacy within an open plan.
Participants will discuss creative ways the architect devised to hang art and place furniture given restrictions of original materials.
Participants will review an existing family scrapbook that gives tour-goers an inside look at the original design and construction process.

Parking

Street parking available.  No meters.