WALKER WORKSHOP

OAK PASS GUEST HOUSE

Beverly Hills, CA

When considering the layout and design of Oak Pass Main House, we knew we needed to design a guest house that was a stand alone statement. Our mission was simple, the guest house needed to rival its breathtaking Main House counterpart, while also compliment the main house in subtle, dynamic, uniquely cohesive ways.

After careful planning and consideration of space, including incorporating a pre-existing structure, the barn, we came up with an impressive, stand alone, two-story, 2,650 sq. ft. structure with a deliberately conscious environmental footprint. This guest house sits independent from the main house, while nestled within the same one-hundred-twenty- coastal live oak trees. An existing barn was rehabbed extensively and functions as both a living room and a concert venue for up to eighty guests. Oak Pass guesthouse uses its height and a small footprint to maximize panoramic canyon views and strengthen its connection to the surrounding tree-filled site. The lower level consists of a rehabbed and enlarged barn, with constructed living spaces, which have their own taste and style of living.                                                                                                                          While Oak Pass main house celebrates the Earth in a vertical, upside-down layout, Oak Pass Guest House celebrates landscape. The exterior is clad in wood, with bedrooms at opposite corners of the floating volume. Just as Eucalyptus trees have their own canopies, the top story of the guest house is segmented, so the residents feel as though they are going from canopy view to canopy view. The upper floor of the guest house is clad in fire-resistant wood, which accentuates the natural environment that surrounds the property, and mimics the bark of the trees. The bedrooms at opposite corners of the floating volume ensure the inhabitants feel protected and sheltered while enjoying privacy.         

The upper floor of Oak Pass guest house is clad in a dark, warm, wood and has bedrooms at opposite corners of the floating second story level. This intentional conjoined living space was intended to double down on privacy within a compound. Not only does the main house achieve privacy from the guest house, but the guest house has moments of privacy within itself, further secluded from the main house, while still residing within the imagined boundaries of the compound. It was here in these moments of “in-between,” where the environment remained, and embraced the homes. It was in these moments of “in-between,” where the structures integrated seamlessly, instead of appearing to oppress the natural environment.

During golden hour light, the Guest house shone in warm colors and tones, whereas this same light continues, dispersing through the live coastal oaks, before breaking apart into a shimmering light which enters the glass walls of the main house.  

Project Role: Architect
Completion: 2015
Project Size: 2650 sq. ft.
Project Team: Noah Walker, Ted Leviss, Erin White                                                     Photography: Nicholas Alan Cope