The Hill and Valley Houses draw on the best traditions of Los Angeles and its environs. They provide for an indoor/outdoor lifestyle. They build on the legacy of innovation in residential construction. They propose a refined design aesthetic that befits a cosmopolitan design center while being specific to its locale. Densifying our cities is an essential task to address the housing storage that California is facing. This proposal demonstrates how a low rise density enables accessibility, inclusivity and community.

The forces of anonymity and their physical constructions, walls and fences, are exclusionary and limit the ability of neighborhoods to build social capital. Our proposal draws from a couple of precedents, the courtyard house and the terrace house, to foster community at multiple levels. The houses are organized as a checkerboard, creating three courtyards that encourage the interaction between neighbors of this parcel in their comings and goings. On the second floor, all four units have access to private terraces that connect each occupant to the larger neighborhood and the environment.