The Openhouse by XTEN Architecture

The Openhouse is embedded into a narrow and sharply sloping prop- erty in the Hollywood Hills, a challenging site that led to the creation of a house that is both integrated into the landscape and open to the city below. Retaining walls are confi gured to extend the fi rst fl oor living level into the hillside and to create gardens on two levels. The front, side and rear elevations of the house slide open to erase all boundaries between indoors and out, connecting the spaces to gar- dens on both levels.

Glass, in various renditions, is the primary wall enclosure material. There are forty-four sliding glass panels, each seven feet wide by ten feet high and confi gured to disappear into hidden pockets and allow for uninterrupted views and access to exterior terraces and gardens. There are also fi xed glass walls, mirror glass walls and light gray specular glass panels which lend lightness to the interior spaces.

Set in a visible hillside area above Sunset Boulevard, the Openhouse appears as a simple folded line with recessed glass planes, a strong sculptural form at the scale of the site. The minimalist logic of the ar- chitecture is transformed by direct and indirect connections to nature. With the glass walls completely open the house becomes a platform defi ned by an abstract roof plane, a palette of natural materials, hill- side, gardens and the views.