When Amanda Gunawan and Joel Wong, partners in work and life, fi rst came across this California modernist property nestled into the landscape in a peaceful town outside of LA, they expected to fi nd a property inspired by infl uential architect Ray Kappe, a cofounder of the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), their alma mater. The couple, who are co-founders of OWIU Design, say they felt a magnetic pull to the home at fi rst sight. It turns out Kappe didn’t just inspire the house; he actually designed the original structure, known as the Glass Ridge House, in 1973. After decades of neglect, the building had fallen into disrepair. The architects had their work cut out for them in resurrecting this truly special modernist house as their new home. Working on a Kappe- designed project was a “full circle” moment for the couple after having studied at the school he built: “With our backgrounds in architecture, design, and construction, we felt uniquely positioned to take on the challenge of restoring it while respecting the original architectural intent.” But fi rst, they had to decide what could be repaired, preserved, or rebuilt to “bring the house back to life without losing its character,” Gunawan and Joel Wong say. They weren’t interested in creating something new, but making the architecture, landscape, materials, light, and views work together harmoniously. Though cosmetically deteriorated after standing vacant for 20-plus years, the Glass Ridge House still had great bones. Wherever possible, OWIU maintained original detailing, including the redwood paneling and the warm, natural material palette that is characteristic of Kappe’s work. Over the years, the forest of this ridge overlooking the valley quite literally grew around this house. To maximize this natural integration and connection between indoors and out, Gunawan and Wong replaced the south-facing facade with a curtain wall of black steel-framed windows and doors, forming a glass-enclosed room. “There is this wonderful feeling that the architecture almost disappears, and you are simply immersed in nature,” they say. “The glass box gives you almost completely unobstructed views of the surrounding landscape and the ocean beyond.” Besides honoring the property’s original architectural intent of California modernism, the couple also wanted to introduce Japanese design infl uences, uniting Eastern and Western design. OWIU included traditional shikkui plaster, natural boulders, water elements, and a carefully curated collection of furniture and artwork sourced from W OWIU Design replaced the south-facing wall of the house with a curtain wall that makes the glass box feel as though it’s fl oating out in the forest. The architecture and design fi rm was also responsible for all landscape architecture. 72 DESIGN NYC A&D Building adbuilding.com adbuilding.com A&D Building DESIGN NYC 73