Canal Lofts

Venice, CA
2006
6-unit Condo
Photography: Tom Bonner

These six residential units are a four-unit and a two-unit building on two separate sites with shared parking and access. The site is confined by adjacent buildings to the East and West with scenic views of the Venice Canals to the south and ocean views toward the north.

The programmatic need to maximize the building volume precipitated a solution with maximum openness on the ends and closed sides. This developed into a set of linear ‘tubes’, which define and orient the units. The necessary openings in the sidewalls are made to respond to the interior environment and therefore appear random on the exterior so as to not interrupt the continuous nature of the container.

Each Tube then has an “insert”, a densely occupied core that encloses the minimum required elements within the space. Open space is maintained around the insert, maximizing the feeling of volume and spaciousness throughout the interior. The end enclosures are formed of glass and have been recessed for privacy and sun control.