By Nigel F. Maynard
Project: Burston Residence / Location: Venice, Calif. / Architect: Abramson Architects / Location: Los Angeles / Photography: Emilio Rothfuchs
Los Angeles-based Abramson Architects designed the Burston Residence in 2011, but 10 years later the firm was asked to modify the home for new owners. Reimagined by partner, David Pascu, the home speaks to how good design withstands the test of time, the firm says.
Located in Venice Beach, the 3,400-square-foot home serves as a West Coast house for owners who live in Connecticut. The home, which embodies the essence of ideal L.A. living, was still in great shape, but it did not meet the owners’ needs 100 percent. “The homeowner’s loved the flow of the house and the courtyard,” a firm representative says. “They needed a third bedroom, and they saw an opportunity of where that could fit into the space without ruining it.”
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As the firm rep explains it, the biggest problem to address was that the house is only 10 feet wide and one of the bedrooms had to be part of a “railroad circulation” meaning that you had to walk through a bedroom to get to the last one. “This was addressed by adding a balcony that allowed our client’s to walk around their son’s bedroom when he was home providing him with privacy,” the firm says. “When he is away (90% of the time) they use his room as a sitting room.”
The residence, which was once owned by Game of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke before she sold it in 2020, is set on a lot near the famous Abbot Kinney Boulevard and showcases a unique division of space into solid and void. The original design featured a privacy-centric solid façade on one side and open structures with a pool on the other, linked by an accordion glass wall to fuse indoor and outdoor living. A wrap-around deck and two overhangs–one over an existing patio space and another over a carport converted to outdoor living space–were added for increased liveability. The additions strengthen the home’s outdoor connectivity and infuse it with a stronger mid-century feel, the firm says.
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The house is heated with floor-based radiant heat, while cooling is provided only on the second floor where it’s needed during the hotter summer months. The design allows the homeowners to open the house up to the courtyard for cooling ocean breezes and–bonus–experience the scents emanating from planting in the gardens. To further promote cooling, the house features a phenolic resin-based Trespa cladding system that is installed as a rainscreen, providing a thermal break and promoting ventilation.
The homeowners chose to furnish the home primarily with pieces from local Venice artisans, embracing the community’s artistic culture. Much of the furniture is sourced from Stahl and Band, a local design studio on Abbot Kinney.
Redesigning a project more than a decade after its initial creation, particularly one of your own designs, presents a unique challenge. A highlight of Pascu’s revamped design is the seamless integration of new elements with the existing structure, giving the impression that the original home was always intended to be this way. “The Burtson Residence exemplifies how well-considered design can stand the test of time and adapt to new owners with few minor adjustments,” the firm says.
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