Jewel Box: A Venice Beach Home Combines Modern Design and Sustainability

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Floor plans for the ground floor.
Floor plans for the ground floor.
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Floor plans for the second floor.
Floor plans for the second floor.
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Built-in display cases house Karen's glass collection.
Built-in display cases house Karen's glass collection.
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Architect Andrew Mangan designed the home's colorful facade to attract attention to its sustainable features.
Architect Andrew Mangan designed the home's colorful facade to attract attention to its sustainable features.
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Windows keep the first-floor bedroom sunny while plants outside block heat and provide privacy.
Windows keep the first-floor bedroom sunny while plants outside block heat and provide privacy.
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A full glass wall faces the courtyard, blocking heat but creating an open, peaceful feeling. Concrete floors complement the modern look.
A full glass wall faces the courtyard, blocking heat but creating an open, peaceful feeling. Concrete floors complement the modern look.
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A winding stairwell leads from the ground floor to the upstairs living areas.
A winding stairwell leads from the ground floor to the upstairs living areas.
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Cross ventilation and passive cooling towers in the kitchen help pull warm air out and circulate fresh air throughout the home.
Cross ventilation and passive cooling towers in the kitchen help pull warm air out and circulate fresh air throughout the home.
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Located on the second floor, the dining room takes advantage of cooling ocean breezes and views of the surrounding area.
Located on the second floor, the dining room takes advantage of cooling ocean breezes and views of the surrounding area.
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Fly-ash concrete floors with soy-based sealer absorb heat from the sun during the day, warming the room in the evening. A fireplaace helps keep the living space cozy on especially cool nights.
Fly-ash concrete floors with soy-based sealer absorb heat from the sun during the day, warming the room in the evening. A fireplaace helps keep the living space cozy on especially cool nights.
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One of the owner's favorite features is the second-story catwalk that leads to the rooftop deck.
One of the owner's favorite features is the second-story catwalk that leads to the rooftop deck.
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Dual-flush toilets help conserve water.
Dual-flush toilets help conserve water.
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The highly efficient tankless water heater will pay for itself in two to three years by reducing hot-water waste. The back wall of all three bathrooms is a smooth-finish stucco plaster with integral color.
The highly efficient tankless water heater will pay for itself in two to three years by reducing hot-water waste. The back wall of all three bathrooms is a smooth-finish stucco plaster with integral color.
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Architect Andrew Mangan designed the home's colorful facade to attract attention to its sustainable features.
Architect Andrew Mangan designed the home's colorful facade to attract attention to its sustainable features.
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Architect Andrew Mangan designed the home's colorful facade to attract attention to its sustainable features.
Architect Andrew Mangan designed the home's colorful facade to attract attention to its sustainable features.
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The closed-loop garden fountain continuously reuses the same water.
The closed-loop garden fountain continuously reuses the same water.
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The rooftop deck offers an outdoor living and dining space with wonderful views.
The rooftop deck offers an outdoor living and dining space with wonderful views.
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Homeowner Karen Davidson
Homeowner Karen Davidson

Architect Andrew Mangan knows one way to spread the word about sustainable design: Build a can’t-miss-it, Technicolor, ultramodern home just blocks from the Pacific Ocean in Venice Beach, California. Built on a small lot, the colorful jewel box is a model of smart, green thinking.

Mangan designed the home’s colorful façade to attract attention. “Once it caught their eye, I knew people would want to learn more about it,” he says. “This opens up doors to learning more about its green characteristics.”

And green features abound. The 2,400-square-foot home was built using 24-inch-on-center, or “advanced” construction, which means wall studs and joists were placed 24 inches apart rather than the traditional 16 inches apart used in conventional construction, decreasing lumber use by about a third. The home’s design and layout also conserve energy and resources. The U-shaped courtyard plan is oriented so most of the home’s windows are north-facing to block the hot southern California sun, and roof overhangs also mitigate heat. To take advantage of sunlight, ocean breezes and views, the home’s common spaces, including the living room and kitchen, are on the second floor; bedrooms are on the ground level. Cross-ventilation and passive cooling towers negate the need for air conditioning. The kitchen and entry towers incorporate large windows that, when open, pull warm air out and circulate air through the home.

Smart, savvy design

On the roof, a 1-kilowatt array of photovoltaic solar panels generates 30 percent of the home’s electricity; the roof was designed to easily accommodate up to two more arrays, which would provide nearly 100 percent of the home’s electricity. The landscaping–a minimalist hardscape of decomposed granite and pea gravel groundcover, along with drought-tolerant native grasses and plants–also saves resources.

  • Published on May 29, 2009
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