Built in Beverly Hills around 1955 by the architects Smith and Williams, the Booth Residence got my attention for its architecture, in the middle between a cabin and a pure mid century modern house.
The first thing you may notice about its design is how the deck above street level contributes to set a new ground plane for the house communicating a sense of lightness.
The entrance court takes central position in the open house plan but is sheltered by wood canopies ad a trellis. As in many other masterpieces of mid century modern architecture, the materials used to build and cover the house communicate with the surroundings making the house almost disappear within the trees; a patchwork of grass fields, wood panels and concrete block walls gives material quality to the building envelope.
Despite its plan open to the outside, the privacy is fully respected in the Booth Residence thanks to the architects’ choice of making the kitchen-guest wing and the sleeping studio area separated from the living-dining room.
The intersection of the two gable roofs provides a folded structure that covers the entire house making it look like a pavilion to which the ceiling finish -made of hardwood-veneered plywood- gives a cozy feeling of intimacy and warmth.
The pictures in this post come from the stunning book Julius Shulman – Modernism Rediscovered the collection of some of the most amazing works of the photographer that more than anyone else contributed to make internationally known the American mid century modern architecture. Check it out now! Click on the picture…
