OWIU has brought a neglected mid-century modern home in the foothills of Los Angeles back to life.

The project was originally built in 1955, and unfolds against a backdrop of palm trees and the distant city skyline. It takes inspiration from the ryokan, providing a refuge of calm much in the same way the traditional Japanese inns do for tired travellers.

The open plan design uses subtle techniques to demarcate space such as steps between rooms and symbolic textural differences, all the while playing on a transparency that mimics separation without interrupting the lines of space.

Applying a muted palette prevents the inevitable crash that comes after a once-energizing design scheme dies out.

This project has been longlisted in the house interior category of Dezeen Awards 2022.

Designer: OWIU

Project: Palmero

Read more: OWIU