Venice Beach Architecture


Venice Beach is an eclectic cultural district on the western edge of Los Angeles bound by the Pacific Ocean. The area was founded as a beach resort in 1905 by millionaire Abbot Kinney. The marshy portion of land towards the south end of Venice Beach was turned into canals to replicate Venice, Italy. In addition to the canals Abbot also built an amusement pier with attractions for entertainment. Through the years the pier was rebuilt until it met its end to dilapidation as did the area in general but it served for low rent housing to artists, poets, and writers. In the 90's and through the 2000's Venice Beach has come around in a revival bought on by new residents reclaiming older and under valued properties. This gentrification to the area has also brought an influx of eclectic modern architecture by way of lax restrictions. I will now examine works of Architecture and Artists that I have found interesting and have taken notice from living in the area for the past five years.

Architect Frank Gehry's work is well known throughout the world from the ignition that the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao brought as well as many other buildings that followed. He is however less well known for his residential buildings but his design on the beach boardwalk is an icon that stands out with a structure that echos the life guard towers on the beach.

In addition to this residential beach house Gehry also designed the Chiat/Day building with Claes Oldenburg. The building interior is being remodeled and is soon to be occupied by Google in the coming year.

To understand some of Gehry's early inspiration check out the Spiller Residence and you can see his exploratory use of low cost materials for construction.

Architect Antoine Predock also made an appearance with a featured beach front home along the boardwalk. His beach front designed house features a large two story window that swivels on a pivot centered on the sides of the window on the vertical way up.

Architects Morphosis also have the "2-4-6-8 Studio" in Venice as an attached bungalow atop new garage. And another similar project called the Venice III that used low cost materials and tested various conceptual ideas of the Architect.

The architecture co-op Coop Himmelb(l)au also have a residential structure that has an interesting play with transparency and solid forms as it twists into shape. The home is back on the market looking for a new owner at a asking price of 2.59 million.

Also many other Architects have decided to call Venice 'home' as did Architect David Hertz. His double lot annex home has been featured in the television show Californication.
McKinley House photo from David Hertz website

The Architect Steven Ehrlich also a Venice resident can operate exterior shades and open large glass walls to keep his abode nicely cooled.

Steven Ehrlich Residence 700 palms image from design-milk.com

Another resident to Venice is Architect Anthony Coscia from the firm Coscia Day Architecture and Design his home is entitled "skywave".

Skywave residence photo from LA Times

Prefab Architecture projects are also present and available this house is now finished by Marmol Radziner and on the market. They also have another home that one Vienna Way that is prominently shown with a lap pool that comes up to the kitchen.

Palms Residence 
Vienna Way Residents by Marmol Radzinger
For a complete list of Venice Houses check Dogtown Ink Architecture Tour.

Photo References:

 http://www.nellscompassblog.com/2011/05/vintage-venice-beach.html

 http://allthegoodblognamesreallyaretaken.blogspot.com/2009/11/frank-gehrys-beach-house.html

 http://www.businessinsider.com/google-binoculars-building-2011-2

 http://abduzeedo.com/architect-day-antoine-predock

 http://dogtownink.com/07/2-4-6-8-studio-morphosis/

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/14/coop-himmelblau-venice-home_n_860861.html#s277700

 http://www.architecturaldigest.com/architects/100/steven_ehrlich/ehrlich_slideshow_092004#slide=6

 http://besttopdesign.com/architecture/modern-and-unique-coscia-skywave-house-in-venice/

 http://www.yovenice.com/2008/06/10/marmol-radziner-prefab-home-in-venice/
http://www.homedsgn.com/2011/06/10/vienna-way-residence-in-venice-by-marmol-radziner/

 http://dogtownink.com/category/architecture/

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Comments

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