Trousdale, Beverly Hills, CA

The central open volume topped by a skylight is architect Marc Whipples modern take on the traditional courtyard. He took the courtyard, and sunk it so that all the belowgrade rooms open off of it, transforming what normally would be a dark basement into a lower floor with light and views the antibasement. The large skylight pulls the dramatic focus upwards as well, so this vertical volume contains both dynamics as you cross the glass bridge. Marc explains the design theory, Alignment of the space so that you are looking at a lot all at once is the essence of the iconic modernist open plan. But we have added the vertical dimension to the horizontal, which offers a visual richness of detail and color wherever you are. You are not going upstairs and leaving the house behind; the experience is spread throughout. And within that, smaller spaces were created, like the splitlevel down library and office, which keep the house available visually. Our clients were sophisticated in their underst