In 1961, John Lautner designed the West Hollywood house for interior designer and concert pianist Marco Wolff. The house began on an almost vertical, rugged plot of land that made the West Coast the pinnacle of modern residential architecture in the middle of the last century. With this home, Lautner prefers the primitive state of nature, completely changing his preconceived notions of family life. In the woods, it's a bold statement about the way humans once lived; In the rocks, perched on the hilltops, the architect has stamped his mark on them.
Iconic Midcentury-Modern L.A. Hom is a four-story home with 9,785 square feet in a leafy enclave in West Hollywood. Approaching it from the street is like approaching the face of a rock. The building has now been bought by Rønning and Hearst Rønning. They enlisted architect and interior designer Clive Wilkinson to help recreate the home's former glory.
Lautner has a philosophy when building houses, which he calls grammar, that contributes to the whole concept of space. And once an architect has formed such an idea, he carries it out ruthlessly. For Rønning, as a filmmaker, Lautner has inspired him a lot. Because when he saw the house, he saw that Lautner did not compromise on even the smallest details.
Rønning is not alone in his fascination with the era's design. From the start, Wilkinson did not want to leave any sort of imprint on the house, and he saw it as his job to clarify Lautner's original design. It's not about Wilkinson's own design, it's about bringing an extraordinary piece back to what it should be. This also involves making some additions to the home without compromising the architectural integrity of the home. For example, an extra bedroom was added through an old utility room, as well as a small wine cellar and home gym.
- Interiors: John Lautner
- Photos: Sam Frost
- Words: Gina