It is always risky to renovate a classic or potentially classic building. Is this really a classic and worth saving" Are the changes necessary" Will the changes ruin the integrity of the original structure" These are simple, basic questions, but crucially important if there is a desire to restore rather than recreate.

In their recent work on a home designed by Craig Ellwood in 1965, architects Brett Woods and Joseph Dangaran have danced successfully on the tightrope of restoration vs. recreation. The result is a distinctly modernist home with subtle but crucial additions that fit the lifestyle of the owners and take advantage of the location.

With their 13-member team at their L.A.-based firm, Woods + Dangaran have forged a reputation as lovers and skillful restorers of architecturally significant homes, especially mid-century modernist architecture.
In the case of this Ellwood-designed residence, they also had the pleasure of working with clients who had a similar passion for retaining the integrity of the building. The owners ? app-designer husband and photographer wife ? were not looking for a massive extension or lavish additional spaces. They were more interested in making sure the house did not lose its original style.

Located on a hillside lot in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles the house is a compact 1,700 square feet (158 sq.metres) in size yet it does not seem cramped or dark because it is a typical Ellwoodian open-plan, open-sided rectan...