One does not need to geek out on technology to know that smart homes will not only continue into the future but will become even more advanced. That’s right, even smarter. In fact more smart cities will be popping up in addition to smart home automation. And what exactly is a smart home?
Read MoreWe have probably said this more times than we can count…Santa Monica is a beautiful place to work and live. There are incredible homes, a perfectly sized downtown area, and of course the oceanfront and a backdrop of mountains with nearby state parks. And because of the close proximity—within a few miles of the SweisKloss office—some of the SK staff have gone to Will Rogers Historic State Park for a run or hike on the winding trails.
Read MoreSome of our latest residential projects at SweisKloss have included designing and constructing green roofs, also known as living roofs. When an opportunity arises to incorporate a green roof, clients are very much drawn to the idea of having one. From a design angle, they add aesthetic value; they are colorful and provide a wonderful natural element to any structure. But the myriad of environmental and health benefits is certainly what impacts quality of life the most.
Read MoreAt SweisKloss, the role of a Site Superintendent is invaluable and serves as the construct counterpart to our design team. Superintendents are the daily eyes, ears and voice at job sites and facilitate the building phase of our projects. They appreciate the subtle nuances in architectural design and thoughtfully planned spaces but can envision a home as a whole.
Read MorePaul Revere Williams is a name synonymous with LA architecture. A few years ago, SweisKloss had the good fortune to work on a home designed by legendary architect Paul Williams. We look back on that memorable project and recall how striking the architecture was of that Bel Air estate. When we were hired to design + construct a complete renovation to the exterior landscape and hardscape as well as
Read MoreThere has been a good amount of recent press surrounding the Chateau Marmont and how by year’s end the iconic hotel will become a private club. Meaning it will become even more exclusive than it already is? Since SweisKloss likes to follow news on historic landmarks in Los Angeles—the Chateau was designated in 1976—we had to learn more about the upcoming plans.
Read MoreI recently had a conversation with a friend about what we missed the most during this pandemic, and without hesitation she replied, “Movie theaters. Settling in with a bag of popcorn and seeing a really good film on a giant screen. And we have so many great theaters in LA; I miss them. At least film production is slowly starting back up.”
Read MoreTree house getaways have been around for some years now, but when did they get so impressive…architecturally? Am I now just noticing them, or have architects and designers been upping their game lately with these small built structures nestled in trees?
Read MorePerhaps the recent wave of women empowerment posts on social media, making news headlines, made me pause to reflect on all the strong women in my life. My mother, of course, comes top of mind as well as other women in my family. I have female friends and colleagues who are wonderful at what they do—moms, artists, professionals, business owners.
Read MoreThere is plenty to sightsee in the city of Los Angeles. After living here for most of my life, one would think that I’ve grown accustomed to all the creative explorations in architecture, construction and design, but I am still intrigued every time I see something new.
Read MoreA fire table is a statement-making outdoor feature that creates an inviting ambiance for entertaining or simply relaxing. These tables come in varying heights, shapes, and finishes, which allows for some flexibility when we design an outdoor space for a client who wants to include a fire table. Many tables are available with environmentally friendly bioethanol or natural gas and therefore burn cleanly and produce fewer emissions into the atmosphere. Here are five fire table styles.
Read MoreYou don’t have to be a Los Angeles resident to appreciate Los Angeles homes and the influential architects who carved out a style that captured the essence of California living. And the architecture team of Greene and Greene (brothers Charles and Henry) could arguably be two of the most famously…
Read MoreBecause of our holistic approach to designing + constructing a built environment, collaboration is extremely important to us when bringing in a landscape architect to work on our projects. Our design and sustainability philosophies must align. Our aesthetic sensibilities must be on the same level.
Read MoreThose visiting downtown Santa Monica for the first time may not know that along the beautiful oceanfront and across from the historic pier is a lush, 6.2-acre park called Tongva. Designed by award-winning firm James Corner Field Operations—known for designing NYC’s The High Line, one of my favorite must-see places in Manhattan—Tongva Park has been recognized for its landscape, structures, horticulture, and sustainability.
Read MoreWithout a doubt we ALL miss our local restaurants, and in my humble (and yes, biased) opinion we have the best here in LA. While we have supported them by way of carryout and delivery these last few months, there is nothing like sitting down at a table in a beautiful, well-designed space and eating delicious food with your favorite person or group of people.
Read MoreI knew at the age of nine that I wanted to design homes. Jeff knew he wanted to be a builder when he was young; he was fascinated with taking apart and rebuilding things. So encouraging creativity early on with our children was really important to us.
Read MoreNearly 20 years ago three of my employees and I moved into a corner suite on the 5th floor of the Central Tower Building in downtown Santa Monica to house my growing architectural design firm. I had already been running my business for a couple of years, but when I signed on the dotted line of the lease, everything suddenly got real…but also got very exciting. I knew there was no looking back.
Read MoreThe right tile selection, whether subtle or bold, can either make or break the flow of a space. But it’s incredibly fun as a designer to search for the perfect size, shape, pattern, texture and color to see the vision through. Thankfully, we have been seeing quite a few inspiring tile designs (some that will be incorporated into our current projects). We’d like to share our favorites with you.
Read MoreWe like giving credit where architectural photo credit is due, which is why we are putting a spotlight on Chang Kyun Kim. When we saw Chang’s photography featured in Dwell a few years ago, we knew we had to have him take photos of SweisKloss projects. The images that he captures is inspiring, showing the essence of the built environment through angles and light.
Read MoreLos Angeles is rich with architectural history, and we have plenty of places to choose from to get our cultural and visual fill. But since many of our favorite places have temporarily closed, I’ve been searching around online for virtual tours of interesting architecture. One well-done tour is of the Hollyhock House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and located at the Barnsdall Art Park on Hollywood Blvd.
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