The resulting 5,200-square-foot residence and guesthouse is a linear structure 20-feet wide and 120-feet long, enclosed by a single, concrete folded surface with glazing and wood screened walls on the southern and eastern sides. While the concrete envelope bends to conform to the top of the ridge where the sun is harshest, the screen, made of thin, pressure-treated recycled wood panels, keeps low evening sun from flooding the interiors. Four bedrooms and a study are located along a corridor, which terminates in an open kitchen, dining area, and dramatic living room with a Fireorb fireplace and floor-to-ceiling glass walls on three sides. The living room opens to an outdoor movie deck (which sits atop the garage). Films are projected onto the outer wall of the guesthouse. “My neighbors only had a problem when we played Guitar Hero too loud,” says Belzberg.
By “we,” Belzberg is referring to the members of his 13-person firm. The Skyline Residence, while created as a home for his family, was also the fourth in a series of projects built entirely by the office, which is mostly staffed by young designers in their 20s and early 30s (Belzberg is an ancient 43). “We’ve been in practice for 12 years, and every couple of years we try to get a project that will get everyone engaged and inspired,” he says. “It’s the philosophy of the firm that everyone has a say, and everyone makes an impact. And it’s a learning opportunity.”
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