Architecture studio Design, Bitches has completed a southern California home that takes cues from the traditional beach cottage and is meant to be "not too precious".
The B+B House is located in Venice Beach, a coastal town known for its mix of century-old bungalows and experimental contemporary architecture.
Design, Bitches positioned the project on a plot in Venice Beach
"This specific site is nestled on the edge of the famous 'walk streets' of Venice, where small lots are tightly woven together as the city stretches to the Pacific Ocean," said Catherine Johnson, cofounder of LA studio Design, Bitches.
Built for creative clients, the house replaces a 1914 dwelling that had fallen into disrepair. A key design goal was to ensure the new home aligned with the character of the original house and the area's bungalows. The studio designed a main dwelling and a guesthouse with a terrace
For a slender lot sandwiched between houses, the architects conceived a main dwelling and detached guesthouse in the rear.
A small yard serves as a "dynamic connection" between the two buildings, while also providing views of the sky and surrounding palm trees.
A gabled roof tops the main volume
Rising two levels, the main dwelling is roughly rectangular in plan and is topped with a gabled, standing-seam-metal roof. Inserted into the upper portion is a shoebox-shaped bar that reaches toward the guest house.
The two-storey guest house has a square plan. The upper leve...