Serenity House in California by Whipple Russell Architects

Date of Publishing: May 25, 2024

Contents

Architecture Design of Serenity House

Description About The Project

Serenity House designed by Whipple Russell Architects is a stunning masterpiece in CA, US. The desert embodies open space and expansive views, as well as the close-up, intricate beauty of the cactus flower. It represents nature’s serene minimalism. This is the backdrop for our project located within the gated community of The Vintage in Indian Wells, California.

This project was a deep creative collaboration with clients Bob Davidson and Lisa Park. Lisa, an artist, worked closely with architect Marc Whipple and the W^R team on every detail of the interior design, personally curating or co-designing each art piece throughout the house. Bob, a businessman and engineer, has passions for racing, cars, and fine wine collecting. Thus, from the outset, the design program was intended to include dazzling and innovative ways to display cars and wine, turning them into visible and striking artistic statements.

This house serves as a modern canvas for this artist and engineer to express their strong vision and sense of creative adventure. A home they call, Serenity.

The Program

The Vintage community requires all homes to be one story in height. Our clients desired the space of a two-story house, so the solution was to build downward. Whipple Russell architect and project manager Ty Harrison explains, “The design features a main entry floor and a lower floor, both naturally lit by large front and rear sunken courtyards. These courtyards are strategically placed to flood both levels with sunlight through the extensive use of glass, including glass floors and walkways.”

Front Façade and Entry

The front façade features a graphical image on film applied to the glass, creating a translucent mural that captures the motion and colors of the desert hills while providing privacy from the street. The home’s long horizontal profile is contrasted with strong vertical columns flanking the entry, along with Marc’s signature ribbon windows.

As in many Whipple Russell Architects’ designs, water greets guests at the entry. In one of the two streetside reflecting ponds stands Arete, a bold, dynamic piece by sculptor Richard Erdman, commissioned along with four other pieces for the house.

Erdman comments on the project, “Marc and I have added meaning to each other’s work. There’s just such a synergy here. This is something that Marc can be really proud of.”

Passing through the front entry door, the walkway becomes glass underfoot, forming a bridge that crosses an expansive courtyard filled with greenery, waterfalls, a fire feature, and a trio of sculptures by Erdman. Aurora, Odyssey, and Aria seem to dance lightly on the reflecting pool below. Ty notes, “The sculptures are positioned on steel pins, so they can be rotated for an ever-changing perspective.” Sculptor Erdman adds, “Those three, each in their own way, embody fluidity, constant motion, recirculation–the qualities that define water in its purest form.” A floating staircase leads down to the lower level and the open courtyard.

The Architecture Design Project Information:

Project Name: Serenity House
Location: Indian Wells, California, United States
Project Year: 2022
Designed by: Whipple Russell Architects
Interior Design: Lisa Park and Whipple Russell Architects

Serenity House in California by Whipple Russell Architects — The front entry and courtyard display the use of embedded LED strips as accent lighting. As the clients wanted the fewest visible lighting fixtures, interior ceiling soffits contain indirect cove lighting.

Pool and Patio
From the main level of the house, a wide glass walkway leads out to the pool and patio area–an expanse of sparkling water. To the right is circular fire pit seating and dining tables, and ahead is a feature particularly enjoyed by the couple’s dog, Happy. This glass swim bridge connects the two pools, traversing the small courtyard below.

This is a three kitchen house with a 900 sq. foot commercial catering kitchen downstairs. The open main kitchen is Italian, imported by Mass Beverly, who also made the multi-ring light fixture. The surfaces here are cappuccino sanded stone, and cabinetry finished with high-gloss lacquer and heat-treated oak. Retractable doors screen off this kitchen when desired.

Lisa wanted variety and fun in the interior design, especially in the private spaces. Each bedroom and bath have their own thematic colors, textures, and personality. The team created custom wallpapers from graphic images for many of the rooms. A pink rose fills one wall of the feminine guest bedroom, and in that bath, custom art glass of cherry blossoms was created for privacy screening.

The Serenity House Gallery:

Text by the Architects: This project involved deep creative collaboration with clients Bob Davidson and Lisa Park. Lisa, an artist herself, partnered with architect Marc Whipple and the W^R team on every aspect of the interior design, and personally curated or co-designed each of the many art pieces throughout the house. Bob, a businessman and engineer, has a passion for racing and cars, and also for collecting fine wines. So, at the start, the program was going to include dazzling and innovative ways of displaying cars and wine, that would be both highly visible and striking artistic statements.

This house is a modern canvas upon which this artist and engineer could play out their strong vision and sense of creative adventure. A home they could call, Serenity.

Photo credit: William Maccollum | Source: Whipple Russell Architects

For more information about this project; please contact the Architecture firm :
– Add: 15233 ventura blvd, suite ph9, sherman oaks, ca 91403
– Tel: (323) 962-5800
– Email: ea@whipplerussell.com/ yw@whipplerussell.com