Wonderland Park Ave | Laurel Canyon

Technically a renovation, this project will — essentially — amount to a new build upon completion. Our client, and current owner of 20 years, asked us to come up with a plan for an entirely new home. Built in 1957, the structure is presently a blend of Mid-century and Craftsman styles, and he would like to markedly enhance the Mid-century aspect in this long-overdue redo.

All builds/renovations have unique sets of challenges, but challenges can present a framework for opportunity — and this project is no different. The Laurel Canyon property depicted here sits in a special overlay zone known as the Mulholland Scenic Corridor. Similar to properties located in historical preservation overlay zones (HPOZs) found elsewhere in Los Angeles, extensive filings with the city accompanied by lengthy approval periods are usually what’s required, before construction can begin.

But, after pouring over the inherent restrictions, we discovered that permitting approval times can be significantly minimized in this zone, as long as the plans adhere to the original footprint of a home. With that in mind, we consulted with an architect and ultimately delivered a design that our client loves — and so it begins!