Coldwater Studio

....... location: .Studio City, CA
...... program: .Residential
.............area: .1,024 sf
...........client: .Private
..........status: .Completed

The primary intention of the Coldwater Studio was to create a building that provides enclosure and security while remaining open to the exterior.

This was achieved through carving an atrium into the north façade, filling the studio with indirect light, while providing privacy from the neighbors.

Detail of redwood cladding at the atrium.

The building is clad in 2” by 2” redwood slats with a 4” gap between the screen and the building's envelope. This screen forms a rough protective layer around the building, while imbuing it with lightness and transparency. The play of the screen’s shadow on the building enlivens the façade and softens the building's mass. The redwood of the screen has been left untreated. This reduces maintenance, and allows the wood to take on a silvery gray patina that softens the exterior, further connecting it to the natural surroundings.

The quality of light. Coffee table designed by CSH.

The effect of the light coming through façade is similar to the light filtering through the trees behind the studio, creating an intimate relationship between the building and its surroundings.