Our First Eugene Kinn Choy Project

Souce: Dwell.com, Mark Singer

Our First Eugene Kinn Choy Project

by SweisKloss
January 28, 2020

Signing on to a new design + construct project is always exciting. Signing on to a Eugene Kinn Choy designed home, and we have to admit, we took an extra minute to let it fully sink in that such an opportunity was ours. Architects and designers revere history-rich homes and buildings. After graduating from USC’s school of architecture in 1939, Eugene Kinn Choy had to put his career goals on hold due to World War II. He worked for Hughes Aircraft, but after the war ended, he became a licensed architect and was the first Chinese-American from Southern California to join the AIA of Los Angeles. Choy seems to have been a private person, very little is found as far as images of him and his personal life. But the homes he designed, such as the LA Mid Century homes the Brander House and the Kawaguchi House, along with his commercial projects are quite well known. The Silver Lake home he designed and built for his family did not come easy; racial discrimination made it difficult to acquire. He had to befriend the community to help push the city on approval. Natural light filling an open space was regarded as an important element he worked into every design. His post-and-beam structures are modern, and the California indoor-outdoor living was incorporated in a thoughtful manner. He loved the use of warm wood tones and varying linear architectural details. As we dive into our new project, we will stay ever mindful of the original architecture of Eugene Kinn Choy. Our plans include exterior design at the front, sides, and rear to expand upon the indoor-outdoor flow of the home. We will also do interior space planning for the kitchen, bathrooms and miscellaneous areas. We can’t wait to see this completed. To keep up with the progress of this project and others, go to our “In the Making” page on our website by clicking here.