Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

A Minimalist Home Full of Clever Design Tricks Appears to Levitate Above the Earth

A Minimalist Home Full of Clever Design Tricks Appears to Levitate Above the Earth

David and Mayuko Lai’s Japanese-inspired home hides technology, doors, and storage space with smart solutions.

Japan may be 5,520 miles from Los Angeles, but in Culver City you’ll discover a tiny piece of the country in a residence called the L House. David and Mayuko Lai met in Tokyo, Japan, when David lived there during a high school exchange program. The two became pen pals, eventually married, and built this home for their family of five in the spirit of the place where they first met.


"I grew up in Japan, so I wanted to incorporate Japanese design into this house," says Mayuko. The couple perused Japanese architecture books filled with homes that were hundreds of years old to create what David calls a "modern reinterpretation of Japanese elements."

Special care was taken to make the L House appear to float above the ground.


Although the plot of land provided enough room to build a large house, they opted to design a smaller home in which they could creatively utilize every inch of space. As Mayuko explains, "Japanese houses are so small, but they’re really good at thinking about how to use the space."

A Genesis GV80 sits in front of the Lais’ Japanese-inspired modern home in Culver City.

As the name implies, L House is shaped like an "L" with the interior courtyard overlooking a lap pool. The top level of the street-facing facade is covered in unsealed larch wood, a material commonly found in Japanese design that naturally patinas and ages to a gray color. Fashioned as a wood screen, it provides privacy and sun protection to the second-floor windows. The home also features small courtyard gardens, like those in Kyoto, and a five-foot engawa deck that floats off the ground.

David and Mayuko Lai designed the home to transform and evolve for their family of five. 

"The idea of the house floating was a core concept with the architect, and a lot of time was spent really thinking about that," David says.

The interior sawtooth metal staircase is another "floating" design feature. Mayuko and David occasionally sit on the stairs with their dog Panda and wave—while appearing to levitate in midair—to neighbors walking by.

The Lais integrated large glass walls to bring in natural light and views, so they could enjoy the outdoors while inside.

Upstairs are the family rooms, and downstairs, an open floor plan that features neutral tones, simple furniture, and maple floors and cabinetry. A Japanese maple tree that grows in the middle of the home is the grand centerpiece. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls—and what appears to be a complete lack of doors—make the tree visible from most spaces.

Pocket doors lend an openness to the space that complements the Lai family’s lifestyle.

"For us, having a door is a waste. I thought it would be nice to have a pocket door in each room that we can leave open, so we know what the kids are doing," said Mayuko. "I think that really helps create more openness."

The doors aren’t the only concealed elements of the house. In fact, hidden features are a central tenet of the design. "I think the best design is somewhat hidden," said David. "It's something you experience."

The Lais control the pool’s temperature and maintenance through an app on their phone.

Take the home’s technology: The solar panels are hidden on the roof, while cables in the office are tucked behind trays. You can’t see that the pool is connected to the internet and controlled by an app, or that sensors in the bathroom and kitchen detect when someone enters, prompting the tankless water heater to begin heating recycled cold water.

Kitchen appliances are hidden behind sliding aluminum "garage" doors.

Storage has also been masterfully designed to secret away unsightly items. The kitchen is outfitted with aluminum "garage" doors that slide down to hide appliances like the microwave and rice cooker. A concealed hamper in the bathroom delivers dirty clothes right next to the washing machine. In the garage, bikes, cleaning supplies, and other items are hidden behind two big sliding doors.

But the crafty storage elements in the bathroom and garage are not what make these two spaces particularly special.

As in traditional Japanese homes, L House has a single bathroom with a large bathtub and separate wash area.

"Instead of having a shower in each room, we just have a central bathroom that all the family uses," said Mayuko. Designed like a Japanese bathhouse, the bathroom has a separate wash area from the shower and bathtub.

After seeing a commercial building in Japan with double sliding doors, David Lai decided to install them in his own garage. A Genesis GV80 stands in space, which opens completely to the street and the backyard.

As for the garage, it’s unlike most in that the doors open on both sides. One opening leads to the street, and the other looks onto the pool. This design feature was also inspired by Japan.

"I was in Japan, and we were visiting family and friends, and I remember seeing a commercial building that had doors like that," David says. "It sparked an idea: Why wouldn’t you make a garage like that?"

A view of the garage and the Genesis GV80 from the street. The garage occasionally doubles as a pavilion for birthday parties or small events.

Like the pocket doors inside the home, the roll-up garage doors disappear, providing the family with the ability to transform the space into a pavilion for birthday parties, or whatever they need it to be at the time.

From the doors to the hidden storage and larch wood screen, L house was designed in the spirit of the Japanese, who have been crafting highly functional, efficient homes for centuries. The Lais have adapted traditional Japanese design elements in a way that will allow them to continually transform the dwelling to fit their needs for the rest of their lives.

Sliding glass walls open the kitchen to the outdoor courtyard, providing more space for the Lai family to enjoy. The lower level has open sight lines to the courtyard and the garage, where a Genesis GV80 sits.

"I feel like this home is still an experiment," said David. "We’re still learning and changing things as we learn how to live here."

The L House is designed to transform and evolve for David and Mayuko’s family of five. A Genesis GV80 sits in the driveway, echoing the home’s streamlined contemporary facade.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
China Criticizes US for Vetoing UN Ceasefire Resolution in Gaza
Saudi Arabia ranks first in UN index for e-government services in MENA
Israel Records 20% Drop In GDP, War In Gaza Is The Reason
Saudi Arabia's FDI Inflows Grow with New International Standards
Venture Capitals Power Up Across MENA Region
PM Modi Announces Opening Of New CBSE Office In Dubai
January Funding for MENA Startups Totals $86.5 Million
Saudi Arabia accelerates digital economy growth through Nvidia partnership
Israel unveils tunnels underneath Gaza City headquarters of UN agency for Palestinian refugees
Israel deploys new military AI in Gaza war
Egypt threatens to suspend key peace treaty if Israel pushes into Gaza border town, officials say
Saudi Arabia Warns Of A "Humanitarian Catastrophe" If Israel Moves On Rafah
US University To Shut Qatar Campus Due To "Heightened Mideast Instability"
Facebook and Instagram Ban Iran's Supreme Leader
Defense Technology Showcase Held in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports rise 2.5% to $6bn in November 2023: GASTAT
Rolls-Royce Executive Encourages Saudi Women to Tap into Their Inner 'Superhero' for Success in Defense Industry
Saudi Arabia launches National Academy of Vehicles and Cars
Saudi Tourism Minister Reveals Plan for 250,000 New Hotel Rooms by 2030
SAR to more than double eastern network passenger capacity with new trains deal
Saudi Arabia Enhances National Defense with New Partnerships
Saudi Aramco Maintains Arab Light Crude Pricing to Asia for March
NEOM Establishes New York Office to Support Investors
Saudi Wealth Fund Draws in Over $25 Billion Worth of Investments in Three Years, Al-Rumayyan Reveals
The Saudi Kingdom's Ultimatum to Israel: A Win-Win Peace with Saudi Arabia and the Arab World, or a Lose-Lose Continued Occupation and Endless Conflict
Biden condemns anti-Arab hate after WSJ opinion piece calls Dearborn ‘jihad capital’
Turkey Releases Seven Hostages Captured by Pro-Gaza Gunman
Arab Parliament Commends Women's Contributions to Societal Development
British and Hungarian Foreign Ministers visited Lebanese leaders to stress the importance of enacting UN Resolution 1701
Yemen's Houthis Say They Targeted British Merchant Vessel In Red Sea
Donald Trump Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize for 'Historic' Middle East Policy
US lawmakers approve F-16 jet sale to Turkey following NATO expansion support
Saudi Arabia Climbs 25 Places in World Bank's National Statistics Indicator
Tourism Growth in Saudi Arabia Fuels Advancements in the Hospitality Industry," Says Rotana Official
Houthi Rebels Request Departure of UN Staff from Yemen, Including US and UK Personnel, within a Month
Modi Inaugurates Hindu Temple on Site of Demolished Mosque in India
Over 25,000 Deaths in Gaza Amid Israeli Offensive
Escalating Clashes in Gaza as Israel Distributes Leaflets to Assist in Locating Hostages
Turkey's First Astronaut Set to Launch for International Space Station Today
Head of Palestinian Investment Fund Warns More People May Die of Hunger Than War in Gaza
Palestinian Envoy Criticizes UK for Alleged 'Double Standards' in Policies Toward Israel
Morocco to Lead UN Human Rights Council in 2024
Is artificial intelligence the solution to cyber security threats?
Egypt has been identified as the leading military force among Arab nations and ranks 15th globally
The AI Revolution in the Workforce: CEOs at Davos Predict Major Job Cuts in 2024
Iranian Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi Receives Additional Prison Sentence
"Gazans Urge Israeli Forces to Target Hamas in Leaked Audio"
Biden States US and UK Airstrikes on Houthis Were a 'Defensive Action
Large Pro-Palestine Rally in London as Gaza Conflict Hits Day 100
South Africa Urges World Court to Halt Israeli Actions in Gaza
×