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is spatial order also forms the basis of the interlinking arrangement of spaces throughout the house. Interior and exterior spaces are similarly fused. Elements of the landscape, such as the sculptural olive trees, create focal points, anchoring the experience with indoor and outdoor "destinations", ranging from al-fresco dining areas and poolside lounging areas to the dining and lounge. Interior and exterior volumes are modulated to create more intimate spaces to counterbalance the vast scale of the views. e bedrooms are on the upper level, creating similarly elevated experiences floating above the city. e entrance at the end of a cul-de-sac, by contrast, has been designed with high, arcing walls that create a sense of enclosure and 'held space' while standing as a powerful sculptural marker at the end of the street. Slices between the intersecting curves function as openings for the entrance, allowing light to filter through to the stairwell while maintaining privacy. e walls are deliberately unadorned to act as screens for the theatrical shadow patterns cast by the light through the trees in front of them. ese curved lines and the sense of embrace they create at the entrance give way to the rectilinear layout of the main living spaces as you progress into and through the house and towards the view in a sequence from grounded, enclosed experience to airy and elevated. e restrained material finishes throughout the house in general honor the architectural fabric of mid-century Los Angeles. Stucco, travertine, and timber floors establish a neutral, honest, and unadorned palette that is richly textured, warm, and sensual. e abundant use of chiseled Jerusalem limestone is a more specific nod to the nearby J. Paul Getty Museum, complementing the Mediterranean- inspired landscape, which like the architecture, is well suited to the local climate and associated lifestyle. As a contemporary evolution of some of the traditions associated with California mid-century modernism, Bellgave simultaneously pays homage to its architectural precedents while looking forward and advancing the possibilities of the pioneering examples of the approach. VUE ON | ARCHITECTURE 76 VUENJ.COM

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