On the market in Ventura, California, this compact multi-building development was designed by architect Richard Orne and designer Susan Hancock to blur the line between living and working, providing an array of units that offer combined studio and living space. The property brings together four separate structures that can be configured in a variety of ways depending on the new owner’s plan, from a ranging single-family compound to a multi-tenant live–work community. At the front of the property, a quiet neighborhood block promises a laidback location, where views of the mountains in one direction compare to the ocean in the other.
The three newly built, standalone volumes line the front of the site, each paired with a one-bedroom apartment, while at the rear, a renovated 1920s bungalow was refreshed, keeping its modernist charms intact. The complex is arranged around landscaped gardens and shared courtyards,with each element of the building geared for indoor/outdoor living. The newer additions take inspiration from the original bungalow, drawing on mid-century modernist influences, with cantilevered forms, exposed steel frames and corrugated metal cladding recalling the spirit of the Case Study Houses.
Inside, a pared-back material palette keeps things simple, with sliding polycarbonate panels, polished concrete floors and colourful Marmoleum surfaces creating light, comfortable, and adaptable interiors that can shift between domestic and work use. The complex, available to purchase in its entirety, is a fine example of a contemporary renovation that prioritizes a building’s historic architectural importance while adapting it for modern life. See the listing on The Value of Architecture…