- Project: The Openhouse
- Architect: XTEN Architecture
- Location: United States, Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California
- Year: 2007
- Area: 418 m2
- Photography: Steve King
The Openhouse by XTEN Architecture is a stunning modern residence embedded into a narrow, steep hillside in the Hollywood Hills. This 418 m² home redefines open-plan living through its seamless integration with the landscape and expansive views over Los Angeles.
Innovative Structure and Integration with Site
The project addresses a dramatically sloped site with bold architectural gestures. Retaining walls are strategically placed to carve out a flat plane for the first floor, extending into the hillside. These retaining structures also support a garden terrace for the upper level, transforming vertical constraints into functional outdoor spaces.
A key feature of the structure is the use of lateral steel beams, which span fifty feet and are cantilevered to form a double overhang. This engineering solution removes structural interruptions and opens the house to panoramic city views, while enhancing the floating appearance of the upper floor.
Seamless Indoor-Outdoor Connection
Designed for complete openness, The Openhouse features 44 sliding glass panels—each measuring 7 by 10 feet—that retract into hidden wall pockets. These glass walls allow the entire front, rear, and sides of the home to vanish, connecting interior spaces to gardens, terraces, and the surrounding hillside.
Deep overhangs provide solar shading for the double-pane glazing, reducing heat gain and establishing a passive cooling strategy. These overhangs follow the contour of the slope, contributing to the building’s microclimate and visual rhythm.
Passive Ventilation and Thermal Performance
Every elevation of the house opens to capture prevailing breezes, enabling passive ventilation. At the lowest level, a vestibule functions in tandem with upper glass panels to create a thermal chimney, drawing cool air upward while expelling heat—a sustainable design technique that minimizes reliance on mechanical cooling.
Minimalism Enhanced by Materiality
The minimalist form of The Openhouse is elevated through a refined material palette:
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Glass: in fixed, mirrored, and sliding panels lends transparency and elegance
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Stone: a granite fireplace anchors the living area, extending through two levels
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Concrete: charcoal-hued cantilevered stairs act as sculptural connectors
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Wood: floor-to-ceiling rift oak paneling conceals doors in service areas
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Stucco and Pebble Stone: used both inside and out to blur spatial boundaries
These materials are intentionally limited in number but applied in varying textures and configurations, enhancing the indoor-outdoor continuity.
Landscape and Environmental Sensitivity
Located above Sunset Boulevard, the house makes a strong sculptural statement, appearing as a folded architectural line set against the terrain. The surrounding landscape features native vegetation and drought-tolerant xeriscaping. Even the outdoor dining area incorporates eco-friendly artificial turf made from recycled rubber.
With all walls retracted, the residence transforms into an open platform—defined by views, air, natural materials, and the minimalist roof plane. It’s an architecture that breathes with its environment.
