Best Natural Metals: Artistic conversations: Stepping outside the box in home design
by Jonathan McGaha | June 30, 2009 12:00 am
Robert A. M. Stern, dean of the Yale University School of Architecture, said, “The dialogue between client and architect is about as intimate as any conversation you can have, because when you are talking about building a house, you are talking about dreams.” And when the conversation is between artists and their architect, building a dream becomes a chance to create something truly unique.
Not your typical homeowners, Manfred Müller, a German-born artist, and his wife, Rose Shoshana, an art photography collector, had very specific requirements they wanted met in their new residence. First, they wanted a separate apartment space for Shoshana’s elderly mother that could provide her with her own living space yet remain close to the main house. Second, they wanted to be able to take advantage of outdoor space that could be used for entertaining. In line with mixing in adequate workspace, they also wanted home offices and a place to display the art about which the couple was so passionate. With these specific demands, Studio 0.10 Architects, Los Angeles, set out to create the couple’s dream house in a postwar subdivision near the trendy neighborhood in west Los Angeles known as Sawtelle.
Completed in December 2008, the end product, called the MuSh residence, consists of two separate structures on a 50- by 150-foot
(15- by 46-m) lot. The first structure includes a four-car garage, art studio and apartment that faces the street. The second building is a three-story main house with a courtyard between the buildings providing the outdoor living space the owners’ were looking for.
Having two separate structures was unique in of itself, but what makes the MuSh residence really stand out is the charcoal colored zinc panels that cover the exterior. In an area where stucco is the prominent building material, one of the challenges the team at Studio 0.10 faced was convincing the owners that zinc was the right material.
“Convincing the clients to use the dark zinc panels was a big endeavor,” said Andrew Liang, design principal. “The aesthetic and material property’s were so far outside of the ‘norm’ for residential construction that we had to fight preconceptions all the way. When the exterior material for residential projects tend to default to stucco, it is just accepted by clients that stucco ought to be used.”
As with all conversations, it sometimes takes a bit of work to convince the other side to change their preconceptions. After showing samples of the material, a 3-D model and a full-scale mock up, the zinc panels were chosen as the right material for the job. Approximately 5,000 square feet (465 m2) of VM Anthra Zinc rollformed interlocking panels from Umicore Building Products USA Inc., Raleigh, N.C., form a skin that wraps around each building in varying sizes and depths.
“We were looking for a means of bringing a level of richness and a more nuanced reading to the otherwise stark building volumes,” Liang said. “The zinc skin became the vehicle for us to
‘articulate’ the massing through patterning. Working with Brian Ninneman, a project manager at Umicore Building Products, the manufacturer of VM Zinc, we were able to fine-tune the sizing and the profile of the panels to fulfill our design objective. The pattern offers a sense of scale to the otherwise large exterior surfaces while reinforcing the volumetric quality of the design. The depressed unit interspersed within the primary pattern offers the cladding a secondary pattern and an ‘active’ element to the project throughout the day, giving the elevations different texturing pending the light condition. Collectively the patterns provided the project with a dynamic visual dimension.”
Being a short distance from the California coast, the zinc provides a natural resistance to corrosion. Mixing in with the zinc panels is Ipe wood and high-performance glass that helps eliminate harmful ultraviolet light and protect the artwork inside.
“The use of this material will encourage others to consider its use because of its appearance, durability and flexibility,” said Design Awards judge Tony Cosentino. “But more importantly, it is very expressive and compliments the natural woods in the composition.”
Design Awards judge Ron McKenzie said: “Clean, clear design lines complemented by the use of clean metal panels artfully arranged to reflect texture and color make this, in itself, a piece of art. It is a prime example of durable materials being used where traditionally stucco would have been the solution.”
The museum-like quality mixed with the innovative materials make the MuSh residence stand out from its neighbors. Taking a chance on the uniqueness of zinc panels, the conversation brings to life the dream of a home.
MuSh Residence, Los Angeles
Owners: Manfred Müller and Rose Shoshana
Architect: Studio 0.10 Architects, Los Angeles
General contractor: Bonomo Development, Los Angeles
Metal installer: Priority Sheet Metal, Chino, Calif.
Zinc panels: Umicore Building Products USA Inc., Raleigh, N.C.
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