EYRC's '19th street' house is a serene california retreat with a japanese touch

located in santa monica, california, EYRC‘s ’19th street’ house is designed as a serene retreat with a japanese touch. built on an 830 sqm plot, the two-story residence is developed for a half-taiwanese, half-chinese family who requested ‘a place to get away from it all’. the structure comprises three overlapping boxes of different sizes and colors (white stucco, grey and larch siding), as well as several outdoor terraces that connect residents to nature.

all images by matthew millman

developed by takashi yanai, partner and residential studio director at EYRC, ’19th street’ house responds to the family’s request for a serene oasis for rest and reflection. ‘when you are connected to nature, you are in tune with the universe. even a blossoming tree can ground a person’, says yanai. ‘that is a japanese way of thinking and making buildings.’ as such, the 440 sqm residence has been designed with great emphasis on its connection to nature, with several outdoor terraces on different levels.

the residence consists of three overlapping volumes, differentiated through the use of varying textures: white stucco, grey and larch siding. among the peaceful gravel garden, a concrete walkway leads to the ground floor, which encloses the kitchen, an L-shaped living room and dining area. all around, floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors open up entirely to the exterior. ‘maximizing the connection to the yard was really important’, says the EYRC team. ‘the grass literally comes up to the very edge of the house, softening this relationship and making it into an outdoor living room.’

the upper level of the house comprises the master suite and the two children’s bedrooms (each with their own bathroom). the material and color palette is kept minimal throughout the house, with concrete floors on the lower level and oak wood floors on the upper. a sculptural staircase invites the dwellers and their visitors to discover the open-to-sky meditation deck, which encapsulates the whole spirit of this zen project connected to nature. the japanese concept of ‘ma’, which refers to the notion of interval between things, is translated in this californian residence through a subtle balance between the void and the built.