When photographer Julius Shulman's house sold last year, we heard the new owners were considering adding A/C or updating the tile, but didn't want to make any big changes--they'd bought the Raphael Soriano-designed house because they liked it the way it was. And now the Architect's Newspaper reports that Lorcan O'Herlihy's firm LOHA has been commissioned to do a renovation, which O'Herlihy says will have a "light touch." The house has Los Angeles historic-cultural monument status, awarded for both Soriano's and Shulman's involvement, which means it can't be too extensively altered. Shulman, the guy whose photographs helped put modernism on the map, commissioned the house in 1950 and lived there until he died in 2009.
According to A/N, the house had gotten a little run down after Shulman's death: "Its paint is chipping, its carpets are dank, its concrete is cracking, and its interiors have a worn look that begs for renewal." For the renovation, LOHA is working off the original Soriano drawings and has a tight budget--$240,000. They'll re-clad the house (it's now in Douglas fir; they'll use lighter woods), add skylights, make "completely new kitchens and bathrooms," and add ductless heating and cooling. They'll also turn Shulman's semi-detached office into a guest suite. And O'Herlihy "plans to riff off" the non-Soriano-approved screens that Shulman had added around some of the outdoor areas. Mia Lehrer will probably work with LOHA on restoring the jungley grounds, originally designed by Garrett Eckbo.
The project is set to finish up in the fall.
· Just the Right Buyer for Julius Shulman's Laurel Canyon Soriano [Curbed LA]
· Shulman 2.0 [A/N]
Loading comments...