Stradella Residence

Project Description

The Stradella residence is a case study in environmental materials and methods. Despite its size of approximately 7,500 square feet this project strives to incorporate resource and energy efficiency as design determinants. The form of the house is derived in part by the site with its views overlooking the stone canyon reservoir, the city, valley and the mountains beyond.

A large curved wall makes a single arc from the front to the rear of the property, covered in steel troweled black cement; this wall serves to bifurcate the house into the public and private spaces. A stair and elevator are fabricated out of open perforated steel, woven wire fabric and mesh to create an open shaft used as a solar chimney to exhaust and recover heat which collects at the high ceilings of the living room and master bedroom. The master bedroom cantilevers dramatically to maximize the views, by floating over the rear yard setback, the bedroom is able to extend into a group of mature pine trees without disturbing their root structure.

The project incorporates several innovative materials and systems which include the following: Solar domestic, pool and radiant heating, natural ventilation strategies including heat recovery and exhaust by solar chimney, engineered wood products, trusses and steel framing, recycled lumber, high performance heat mirror glazing and low voc paint. Materials of pigmented stucco, plaster, concrete, bonderized sheet metal, syndecrete®, translucent glass, beech, and exposed fir timbers are used to create a pallet for this contemporary natural home.

Environmental Features

Passive Ventilation – taking advantage of the prevailing breezes
A large curved black cement wall functions as a South facing “trombe” wall for heat collection
The 40’ stair and elevator core serves as solar chimney to exhaust and recover heat
Recycled timbers are used throughout the house
Solar domestic pool and radiant heating for the floors
Engineered wood products, trusses and steel framing
High performance heat mirror glazing
Cotton insulation
Zero VOC paints
World’s first residence to use RU-134A, a non-ozone depleting, non-chlorine refrigerant

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stradella house

A large curved wall makes a single arc from the front to the rear of the property, dividing public from private within the residence. The form is derived in part by the site, which overlooks the stone canyon reservoir, the city, valley and the mountains beyond. The master bedroom cantilevers dramatically to maximize the views; the curvilinear balcony floats over the rear yard setback and projects amidst a group of mature pine trees (thereby leaving their roots undisturbed).

Roof planes also dramatically slope upwards towards the backyard, realizing a dramatic double-height view. A stair and elevator are fabricated out of open perforated steel, woven wire fabric and mesh to create an open shaft used as a solar chimney to exhaust and recover heat, as well as to create added picture window moments.

Stradella House was featured on NBC’s Open House with Sara Gore! You can watch the segment on Youtube and explore this unique light-filled home.

Stradella House was the setting of the music video for Jay-Z’s song, I Just Wanna Love U. Watch the video to get a tour of the residence by the rapper and the Roc-A-Fella crew.

Project Details

Year: 1998
Location: Bel Air, Los Angeles
Typology: single family residence
Program: 4 bed, 4 bath, 2 half bath
Size: 7,500 sqft
Sustainable Features:

passive ventilation
trombe wall for heat collection
solar chimney
recycled timber
solar radiant heating
high performance heat mirror glazing
cotton insulation
zero VOC paint
World's first residence to use RU-134A, a non-ozone depleting, non-chlorine refrigerant

Photography: Tom Bonner, Sandy Weiner, Fawn Art