Willoughby7917 presents strategies for dynamic spatial integration on an infill lot through its interior and exterior design. This 8-unit residential project, located in West Hollywood, reconsiders how the structuring and design of demising walls between adjacent units can be used to provide new spatial opportunities for living for tenants in medium density housing communities.
Internally, the multi-floor units deviate from the typical loft scheme where a mezzanine is placed at the back end of a long linear space, which yields a common layout and singular typology of space. Instead, each unit’s mezzanines pushes the boundary of the demising wall into the space of adjacent neighbor’s, thereby introducing a much greater variety of spaces that can accommodate more robust and differentiated activity. The horizontal staggering also enables the insertion of open spaces, conceived as outdoor rooms that let in light and comprise a breathable edge within the densifying neighborhood.
Externally, private open spaces are set back into the units, which help funnel in daylight and simultaneously engage with street by creating a front entry stoop that abuts the sidewalk, a rarity in the Los Angeles area. The building’s skin of stainless steel mesh, mounted on a custom bracket system, produces a dynamic and engaging moiré pattern. The material, which facilitates the growth of vines, welcomes the landscape onto the building itself.
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