minarc, santa monica, calif.
Iceland natives Erla Dögg Ingjaldsdóttir, AIA, Assoc. IIDA, and Tryggvi Thorsteinsson, Assoc. AIA, used their country's green heritage and love of new materials to transform their 1950s home into this 2,400-square-foot gem. The idea “was to create a modern home that was comfortable and open so we could watch the kids play,” Ingjaldsdóttir says.
Sustainability was a major goal, so to grab maximum daylight and cut electrical costs, the pair used large doors and generous amounts of glass. They sited the home to catch maximum breezes, eliminating the need for air conditioning.
The heart of the home is an open kitchen anchored by an orange solid-surface island with an innovative storage system for seven stools. “This is a way to have stools and have them be beautiful,” one judge said. The island is clad in recycled rubber for durability. Other sustainable specs include radiant heat concrete flooring over foam insulation, recycled-content cement board siding, and recycled silicon rubber bath sinks and stair treads.
principals in charge / project architects: Erla Dögg Ingjaldsdóttir, AIA, Assoc. IIDA, and Tryggvi Thorsteinsson, Assoc. AIA, Minarc
general contractor: Shawn Lannen, Lannen Construction, Los Angeles
project size: 2,400 square feet
construction cost: $275 per square foot
photography: Ralf Seeburger, except where noted
product specs
bathroom and kitchen plumbing fittings and fixtures:KWC America; countertops: Dupont (Corian); dishwasher, oven, range:Siemens Home Appliances; entry and interior doors:Five Star Windows; exterior siding:U.S. Architectural Products; refrigerator:Sub-Zero
