coop himmelb(l)au travels to venice, ca
Viennese workshop Coop Himmelb(l)au present the Tectonic House, its first residential project built in the United States. Private residence takes shape as a dynamic urban intervention in Venice, California, and an exploration of “functional constraints to construct a complex sculptural form intertwined with an apparatus for living”. The house is a short distance from bustling Abbott Kinney Boulevard as well as Venice Beach. Now complete, the residence has been put up for sale with real estate consultancy Engel & Völkers Santa Monica for $5.8 million.
images courtesy of Coop Himmelb(l)au
the windy beach house
The architects at Coop Himmelb(l)au, design the Tectonic House to reflect “the diversity, liveliness, tension and complexity of Venice”. Covering 2,522 square feet over three levels, the four-bed, 3.5-bath home takes shape with the twisted geometric shapes and folded planes that have become the Austrian firm’s signature. The vertical house faces the sky with two steel-framed towers, connected by an upper level deck and wrapped in corrugated steel and cement board.
This unique vertical tower structure functions like a chimney, drawing air from the base of the building which is then vented through the open roof. With its location so close to the ocean, the need for air conditioning is eliminated.
the sculptural interiors
Inside, the Tectonic House features unique sculptural spaces constructed of concrete, glass, and structural steel. These expressive interior elements are tempered by an open floor plan, so each space acts in direct connection with the landscape, wooden ceilings and natural light. The team continues: “Raw metals alongside natural materials are used both inside and outside the residence to create moments of complementary dialogue with ‘Ex Machina’ type elements.
‘Perhaps one of the most distinctive additions the current owners, acclaimed screenwriters J. Stewart Burns and Lillian Yu, made to the residence was Parasite, a plywood art installation starting on the floor and weaving the walls to follow the sharp corners of the house. The installation, like their life, stages an evolution and an attachment to space.
activate the tectonic house
Between the listing of the Tectonic House and its sale, the property will host a series of “innovative experiences” by Idea Parade. Dubbed “UnReal Estate”, this series will showcase the art, architecture and design of this rare space. Guests, media and potential buyers will mingle with compelling lifestyle brands and thought-provoking installations that blend well in the space.
“The experiences will show what life is like in a property primed for art, gathering, and possibility. Past events in this series have taken place in unique houses like Invisible House and Radius House.
an intricate sculptural framework is intertwined with the architecture 
the Tectonic House takes shape with the studio’s signature twisted geometries
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