SPF:architects tops 'bronze house' with giant cantilevered trellis in hollywood hills

SPF:architects has completed ‘a bronze house on nightingale’, a two-story residence in hollywood hills topped with a giant, 22-foot (6.7-meter) cantilevered trellis. dug into a hill on a 25,000-square-foot lot (2,320 sqm), the residence replaces a dated single-family home. the project’s sculptural element – the cantilevered trellis – stretches out to a strip of lawn and an infinity pool, providing shade during the day while also adding dynamism to the structure.all images by matthew momberger

SPF:architects has dug into the sloping hollywood hills site to cleverly defy the strict neighborhood restrictions that limit any new construction to no more than one story out of grade. the architects have unearthed additional square footage, offering approximately 13,000 square feet (1,200 sqm) of interior space. the sculptural cantilevered trellis is both functional and expressive as it offers respite from the sun during the day while adding to the home’s dynamic exterior. clad in bronze anodized aluminum bars—that are prefabricated, panelized, and mechanically fastened—the sheen of the cantilever responds to changing weather patterns and lighting conditions. as the sun drops, the metal blends into its surroundings, appearing almost black, but also reflects daylight, revealing a bronze hue at different times during the day.

the house was designed on a strict orthogonal 20×20-foot grid, yet it deviates from this edict with purpose. ‘at the front and rear ends of the home, the walls flare out to create a subtle geometry that yields a wing-like shape as if to capture or embrace the environment,’ says SPF:architects. ‘the move was intuitive as the residence is located on nightingale drive in the “bird streets.” in short: why not create a building that is an abstraction of a bird’s wing?’

the home’s interior is constructed from steel, wood, and glass, while the lower level is predominantly made up of architectural panel-formed concrete. a central atrium, topped with an expansive 100-foot-long operable skylight, infuses the ground floor and basement levels with light. light-wells located along the north side of the property, also mitigate any dim spots that come from building below grade, as do glass and steel stairways and ‘sky bridges’ and a southern face clad in glass.