Californian based architect, Ray Kappe designed his modernist home in Los Angeles that sits within the steep landscape, utilising sustainability and new engineering techniques, built between 1965 and 1967.
Designing a structure for the steep hillside was problematic, and Kappe subsequently designed six concrete towers to support a 4,000-square-foot (370 m2) glass-and-wood house. Because of this technique, the floor plate only takes up a mere 600-square-feet. In order to avoid underground springs, the house is raised above the ground on these towers. This meant that much of the surrounding forest, hillside and creek were left untouched. Another key environmental feature of the architects house is the implementation of intersecting, floor-to-ceiling glass panes held together with concrete and wood. Strong geometric forms are created with seven intertwining levels and sub-levels. Kappe's own studio sits nestled in the ground floor of the structure with the living and family spaces above.