A Discussion of Kappe and Stahl Houses - Research Paper Example

?Jetro Effendy Architecture 24B June 5, A discussion of Kappe and Stahl Houses Kappe and Stahl Houses, ranked among the top ten houses in the Los Angeles, by leading experts who were selected to undertake a survey of the leading all-time best houses in Los Angeles, in December 2008. The Kappe and Stahl Houses were designed by renown architects, and their design and architecture have allowed them emerge as icons of modern architecture and construction in the twentieth century. Not only is the design and architecture of these houses unique, but their aesthetic value have allowed them to stand the test of time, being highly coveted and desired by many filming and tourism companies as well as private property developers for commercialization purposes, regardless of the fact that the houses were constructed many years ago (Gebhard & Winter, 31). There is a lot of similarities between these houses, ranging from the environment in which they are built to the materials and designs used to construct them. The application of sophisticated designs, which places the two as floating on space, coupled with their suitable integration with the natural environment, makes these Kappe and Stahl houses the icons they are today. However, there are still a lot of differences that can be indentified between these houses. For example, while the Kappe house is mostly constructed from glass and wood, the Stahl house has glass and steel as its major construction materials. Kappe house was constructed between 1965 and 1967, by architect Raymond Kappe on a hillside with many trees, as his own residence (Raymond, 17). Considering that the land on which the house is constructed is a steep hill, then, designing a structure that would well be accommodated by such land topography was a challenging task. The house was constructed using glass and wood, but there had to be established firm support for the house, due to the steepness of its location. This being the case, Kappe build six concrete towers to support the house and ensure it would withstand all forces while remaining more stable (Kevin, 4). The size of the house is 370 square meters, raised on decks to avoid the effects of underground springs, such as busting of such springs and carrying away the floor or bringing the whole house down altogether. The unique thing about this construction is the use of natural materials. The house is mainly constructed out of wood, which is cut in form of beams, to enhance its strength and ensure that the wood can support the weight of the house, which is constructed floating on the space. Steel is yet another material used in the construction of this house, since as a natural metal, it is very strong, and thus can withstand the tension caused by the weight of the floating house. Additionally, the choice for steel as the metal to use in the house construction was informed by its ability to withstand rusting. The house has a sophisticated geometric form, which consists of vertical and horizontal structures, constructed in tires and then joined to other outer structures and an extended roof, all of which floats on space, supported by the concrete and steel structures (McCoy, 7). This geographic form effectively combines the traditional architectural designs with aspects of modernism, giving the structure an aesthetic touch that remains an attraction to present day (Dylan, A2). Due to its attractiveness, the house has attracted many advertisements, using the house as the backdrop. The most significant of this house is its design, which blends well the human construction with the natural environment, thus effectively fit well as an icon of integrated natural environment and built environment. There are two key challenges that were presented by the nature of the environment in which the house is constructed. The land on which the house is constructed is sloppy. As a result, a strong support system was required to support the house on such a land topography, which necessitated Kappe to design and use six concrete towers to support and enhance the firmness of the house. The house was then constructed atop of these concrete towers. (Gebhard & Winter, 45). Additionally another challenge was a stream that passed along the site of construction. Since, as a respected architect he did not wish to interfere with its flow, he applied bridgework of laminated beams to allow the structure suspend over the stream (McCoy, 7). The design also integrated modern indoor and outdoor connections, while incorporating open floor plans. The design was made to float the house on a 45-degree angle, while fitting it well into the hillside and the heavy tree surrounding, making one feel as a part of nature, while inside the house (Raymond, 17). This architectural and design sophistication, combined with its aesthetic value earned the house a position among the top ten houses in Los Angeles, through a selection made by leading expert panelists, selected by the Los Angeles times to survey the best all-time best houses in California. It is this unique nature of Kappe house, which saw it designated as a historical- cultural monument by the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage commission (Kevin, 4). Stahl House is an icon house built in 1959, by an architect, Pierre Koenig. The house is located on the Holly wood hills of Los Angeles, which also features among the top ten famous houses in California (Gebhard & Winter, 46). There was a great deal of challenges involved in the design and construction of the house. The land where this house is located is hilly and rocky, making it difficult for even the construction materials to be transported to the site. Though the architect of the house was Koenig, he was guided by an idea of the owner of the house, Buck Stahl, who was a graphic designer (Sean, L8). It was Buck and his wife who made the initial model of the house and the idea of constructing a house in such a site real, through engaging in hard labor of transporting concrete and other materials to the site. The most significant aspect of this house is the design and the architectural consideration of private and public space segregation incorporated. The house was designed in an L shape, to separate the private sections of the house from the public sectors (McCoy, 10). Another unique aspect of the architectural design of the house is the materials used for construction. The house consists of glass walls all over, with only one side of the house having a solid wall, the section that is used as the living space for the family, well situated behind the swimming pool (Sean, L8). The landscapes that the house faces were a major consideration of the design of the house, which was designed as a viewing box, from where one can view the entire Los Angeles. The integration of the house with the natural environment, coupled with the construction of the vast swimming pool in front of the house, and the view point that one gets of the entire Los Angeles while in the house are some of the unique characteristics of Stahl house. This uniqueness saw it rank among the most famous house in the world, under the category of the most photographed houses (Dylan, A2). The fame of the house continues to increase until present day, having the house find a position among the America’s most favorite architecture, as one among the top 150 structures, courtesy of a survey that was undertaken by the American Institute of Architects, early in 2007. This aside, the house ranked as the only privately owned home among the top 150 structures on this list, since all the rest of the structures were either corporate or state owned (Sean, L8). The house is designed with two bedrooms. It has an expansive view of 270 degrees, and occupies 2200 square feet. The most unique thing about the house is the fact that, while one is inside the house, they view the outside world as though it were a part of their life (Kevin, 5). This integration of the built environment with the natural environment, as well as the materials used to construct the house and the landscape views one gets from the house forms the basis of popularizing this house. The house was designed to float on space, using pillars and overhangs, allowing it remain at the hilltop, and making the entire Los Angeles city viewable below the house (Gebhard & Winter, 33). These pillars are built of concrete, raising the house on a distance of 10.5 meters above the slope of the hill. These pillars are supported with strong beams of 750 millimeters, allowing the structure to remain firmly suspended (Dylan, A3). These features have allowed the house remain one of the most admired in modern day, although it was constructed half a century ago. This popularity has seen the house host many television commercial shooting, film shooting as well as political meetings and campaigns. These two buildings are similar in various ways. The design of the two houses blends well the natural with the built environment, where one feels as if they are part of the natural environment, whenever they are in these houses. Another similarity is the location of these houses. They are both located on hills, where the land topography seems inappropriate for residential constructions due to the steepness of the land that does not seem capable of supporting a permanent and heavy structure. This creates a necessity for sophisticated architectural designs that were applied in both houses. The sophisticated design entails the establishment of a firm supporting system that will allow the houses float on space. This calls for the use of concrete towers, steel poles and wooden beams to enhance and reinforce the structures. Both of these houses are similar in the nature of their designs, where they are built suspended or floating on space (Gebhard & Winter, 50). The nature of reinforcement accorded to these buildings are similar, to enhance their firmness and stability, since the land topography on which the houses are built cannot simply support such constructions. The aesthetic value as well as the popularity of two houses is yet another of their similarity, both having been ranked among the top ten most famous houses in Los Angeles, notwithstanding the fact that both constructions were made decades ago. However, the two houses contrasts in that while Kappe House is mostly built using wood and glass, the Stahl House is majored by glass and steel (McCoy, 12). Additionally, the houses differ in the mode of their architectural shape, with Stahl House being L shaped, while Kappe House is box shaped. The Kappe and Stahl house portrays a good architectural framework. Considering that they were constructed many decades ago, then the ability to have them remain relevant and iconic as far as the structural fame, design are concerned attests to this fact. However, comparatively Stahl house seems more appealing aesthetically, in that it incorporates other structures such as a swimming pool within its architectural design, while giving a clear view of the Los Angeles city at 270 degrees. Designs of Kappe house Source: The Architectural Record, Source: The Architectural Record Photos of Kappe House Source: The Architectural Record, Designs of Stahl House Source: The Architectural Record Photo of Stahl House The Architectural Record Source: The Architectural Record Works Cited Dylan, Jones. Dylan Jones: If you ask me. London: The Independent, Jun 30, 2007. A2-3. Print. Gebhard, David and Winter, Robert. An Architectural Guidebook to Los Angeles2003. 30-52. Print. Kevin, Matthews. The Great Buildings Collection. Artifice, 2001. 4-5. Print. McCoy, Esther. Case Study Houses 1945-1962. Second Edition. Los Angeles: Hennessey & Ingalls, Inc., 1977. 3-12. Print. Raymond, Ryun. Sense of Enquiry: Ryan reviews Ray Kappe: A Retrospective art exhibit. The Architectural Record, 2004. 16-23. Print. Sean, Mitchell. The best houses of all time in L.A. Los Angeles Times. December 27, 2008. L8. Print. Read More