PECK ARCHITECTURE | PECK CIVIL
Butler Residence
PROJECT NAME
Butler Residence
LOCATION
Rustic Canyon, Los Angeles, CA
CLIENT
The Butler Family
PROJECT TEAM
Strong Design - Interior Design
Dobkin Construction - General Contractor
The Yard - Landscape Design
CW Howe - Structural for Main House
TYPE
Single Family Residence
SIZE
5898 SF
YEAR COMPLETED
2012
The project's design success was in equal parts due to the incredible site, a wonderful client, and the amazing history of the Uplifters’ Club House.
The original structure was a log cabin with an eclectic wood crafted interior. The structure was in an advanced state of deterioration and although the project was not classified as a historical restoration project, the owners were determined to honor the history of the site and building. From saving original drawings on the walls of the old clubhouse, to retaining and reusing all of the massive original fireplace stones, the emphasis was on salvaging and reusing historic material. In addition, the proportion, scale and detailing of the main room of the cabin in the new house was maintained.
For the site retaining walls, we performed structural engineering. We maintained all of the existing walls above the yard level, and rebuilt the wall directly behind the house. Samantha Gore of “The Yard” selected stones and created patterns that were not original, yet blended with the historic walls on site. The integration of the house into the hillside was the primary challenge. This involved the resolution of a series of grading structural and code compliance items which interlock like a puzzle.
Our experience with the grading constraints, structural requirements, and zoning code requirements for LA hillside projects helped us create a successful solution. The other secondary challenge was integrating the rustic building elements such as true half-timber logs into the building shell with modern windows and weatherproofing techniques, while retaining the original character of the cabin.
