Winter Is Coming

a modern chalet

There is a romance and an abstract beauty to cold weather… especially for a design studio based in LA! So when we got to work on this ‘chalet’ in the Lemont neighborhood of Chicago, where the weather is known by long, freezing and windy winters, we jumped at the idea of creating a modern apparition veiled in snow. Working with existing architecture we redesigned this residential exterior to respond to the beauty of cold weather of the Great Lake region. We kept the dominant lines of the facade with the scaling sloped roof and the glass block vertical beacon and added horizontal slits to manipulate the proportions of the window openings. The result is a streamlined facade with minimal visual clutter. Yeh, that’s a Tesla truck in the driveway ;)

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snowflake

It was also important to us to create an effect of lightness for such an enormous house and have the house instead recede into its natural setting. There is something silently heroic in the way this building responds to the very harsh conditions of its surroundings. The siting and the way the structure integrates into the slopes, its fluttering, slanted roof planes almost make it seem as if the ice wrinkled and produced a shelter there. Winter teaches us a vigilance, rigor and resilience like no other season. Winter invites contemplation and a search for meaning and growth.

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home office

working smarter

How productive are you at your home office desk? Is your space isolated from all the other activities in your home? Do you have access to natural light? Is your chair comfy? All these little details play an important role in the way you work from home… In this home office we used system furniture to streamline the desk surfaces and minimize distractions. Diffused natural light coming from the glass block wall feature floods and energizes the space. An elevated loft serves as a cozy escape for reading and inspiration… OK great, now let’s get back to work!!!

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let’s go

Some tunes to help with the flow!

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pluralists. problem solvers. people people.

Plāna is a Los Angeles based architecture studio rooted in design, ecological and social sustainability and effective project management. We want our end product to be a catalyst for positive personal, social and environmental change and be a source of inspiration and joy. Our aesthetic is timeless and streamlined. We develop solutions come from a deep understanding of our clients needs. And we stay around until they are implemented. We enjoy and celebrate the diversity of our clients that include schools, landowners and developers, private individuals and public institutions.

minimalist homes

the concept

What happens when a client asks for a minimalist design and has a specific vision about the space being predominantly bare? Most people cringe at the thought of cold and empty spaces and are familiar with minimalism yet are somehow not at ease with it. When we think of places where we live we want them to be warm and inviting and we want to surround ourselves with things, objects and memories that remind us of our experiences or represent something about us. But what if this absence of content is an invitation to open up to new possibilities, to breathe and to think without distractions, to relax and recharge in a space as light and luminous as possible.

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the project

This Great Lake retreat was conceived for a young entrepreneur that values moments of stillness amidst a very dynamic career life. The original residence was updated with strategic strokes to open up spaces, update finishes and simplify and streamline spatial and functional aspects of the home. Minimal furnishings support the idea of ‘less is more’ and ample built in storage allows for books and other objects to be at hand while out of sight.

Now some Chicago jazz to set the mood…

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pluralists. problem solvers. people people.

Plāna is a Los Angeles based architecture studio rooted in design, ecological and social sustainability and effective project management. We want our end product to be a catalyst for positive personal, social and environmental change and be a source of inspiration and joy. Our aesthetic is timeless and streamlined. We develop solutions come from a deep understanding of our clients needs. And we stay around until they are implemented. We enjoy and celebrate the diversity of our clients that include schools, landowners and developers, private individuals and public institutions.

sweet dreams

… are made of this

When designing a perfect master bedroom retreat, there are a few key aspects for this room to remain a personal getaway and safe-haven. This special place is an expression of ones personality, hopes and dreams and is an intimate oasis. Simple yet sophisticated and furnished with only what’s most needed. No clutter! With plenty of storage, the right elegant furniture and a cozy reading or lounge area such as a modern fireplace with a comfortable chair to unwind from a busy day… What more could one ask for? Well, maybe a soundtrack…

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bodies of water

In the hot days of summer what can be better than making a splash! Water cools, cleanses and provides instant relaxation and stress relief. It perhaps reminds us of our primordial home, the ocean. It is life giving, transformative. We are mostly water. It erodes rock gently over millennia and cuts it forcefully in a laser beam at the stoneyard. It is nourishing and healing and can destroy entire cities instantly in a tsunami or by sinking it over centuries like Venice. It is elusive and will run through your fingers. It will wipe you out is you are a surfer. You can float on it endlessly.

Water has many effects - it flows, glistens, murmurs and glows when illuminated from within and is one of the most abundant resources in nature. Many cultures give it special meaning and use it as a symbol. In dreams water can stand for emotion itself. We’re getting metaphysical here…

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When used as a design element water has a tremendous impact on our wellbeing. In our Encino Hills project we used water to separate an art pavilion from the rest of an internal private court. In doing so we used water as a special boundary to another realm of creativity, play and contemplation. Water features integrated into the pool and spa provide pleasant white noise suitable for relaxation. LEDs illuminate the pool from within added color therapy and party effects. Simple materials such as smooth plaster, concrete pavers, stone and white gravel and native plants integrated into the surrounding hillside create an oasis and retreat from the Los Angeles bustle.