Architecture is often understood through what gets built and photographed, but that only tells part of the story. Some of our most complex projects remain unbuilt — paused by shifting circumstances, evolving priorities, or the natural arc of long-term planning. Others are realized in full but cannot be publicly shared, shaped by the discretion our homeowners entrust to us.

These projects, whether unbuilt or unseen, are not outliers. They are central to our practice and often allow for  deeper exploration — of site, material, program, and possibility. And often they represent highly tailored solutions developed in close collaboration with homeowners whose privacy is paramount.

In this month’s post, our team shares a glimpse into that body of work: four unbuilt projects that reflect the same rigor, imagination, and technical depth as those that ultimately come to life on our website.

CALIFORNIA RANCH HOMESTEAD

On an expansive canyon-view lot in the Pacific Palisades, these homeowners envisioned a relaxed, contemporary estate designed for indoor-outdoor living and extended visits from family abroad. We developed a comprehensive master plan for a 13,400 sq. ft. main residence, along with a guest house and pool house, carefully sited to preserve mature trees, a productive vineyard, and a wildlife corridor across what were once eight separate lots. The placement of each structure maximizes natural light and airflow while minimizing grading interventions.

To define a 21st-century California ranch, modern detailing is paired with traditional materials— board-and-batten siding, steel windows and doors, rustic stone, and standing-seam metal and slate roofs. The main house unfolds across three levels, wrapping a sun-soaked courtyard with an outdoor fireplace and fountain. Organized into distinct wings for work, rest, and play, the home is connected by steel-and-glass links, with a double-height stair volume discreetly screened at the entry. A commercial elevator supports ease of access, while the primary suite opens to a private patio and spa. Dedicated office spaces connect directly to the landscape through large operable glass openings. For relaxation, play and entertaining, a separate pool house includes a gym, bar kitchen, massage room, sauna, and pool bath. At the far edge of the property, a secluded guest house offers a vaulted living room with fireplace and two ensuite bedrooms, creating a private retreat for visitors.

While nearly fully designed, this project was ultimately unbuilt when the homeowners relocated out of the country.

HOLLYWOOD HILLSIDE HOME

To replace a structurally unsafe historic single-story home in the Hollywood Hills with a lineage of celebrity owners, we designed a multi-story new home, capturing spectacular city views. Severely constrained by setbacks, height limits, and encroachment planes, the complex was designed to ramble across a steep south-facing lot. 

Our homeowner asked for two distinct plans and elevation schemes. In both schemes, a new three-car garage at the upper street level connects with a rambling home, a pool and pool house, vaulted living room, kitchen, dining, and family gathering areas, with six bedrooms, a top-floor home office and a rec room, gym and screening room at the lower level. Both schemes use clerestory windows to flood the interior with daylight, with sheltering overhangs and pergolas to soften the light. Yet the designs are very different. The first scheme is inspired by the Lovell House and Frank Lloyd’s Oak Park house, with flat roofs and strong horizontal planes all spun from a soaring two-story elliptical staircase. The second scheme is inspired by the early 20th century work of George Washington Smith and Irving Gill, with bold arches, clay tile pitched roofs and wrap-around steel and glass fenestration.

This project began as a Schematic Design (SD) study to explore the site’s potential. After completing the SD phase, the homeowners decided not to move forward and ultimately sold the property.

SHINGLE STYLE HOME

This Pacific Palisades home is an unexpected and bittersweet opportunity in the aftermath of tragedy — and reimagines a family home designed for work, wellness, and play. A light-filled study at the rear, with a private entrance for visiting colleagues, surveys the lush backyard. The kitchen, conceived as the heart of the home, opens to a dining sunroom, family room, pantry, and sitting room, with easy access to the outdoor kitchen and pool for entertaining. Below, the basement level features a large laundry room, gym, and entertaining suite organized around a game room and screening room. A secluded ADU is dedicated to wellness, with space for meditation, a sauna, and cold plunge, adjacent to a Japanese-inspired garden hidden from the rest of the property. The exterior presents a welcoming near-symmetrical facade to the street. Inside and out, detailing and materials — drawn from coastal vernacular and shingle-style precedents — are rendered in sustainable, fire-hardened assemblies.

The project was indefinitely paused after the homeowners chose not to return to the area following the wildfires.

SANTA MONICA CRAFTSMAN HOME

We were excited to be asked to work on this historic two-story craftsman shingled home on a coveted street in Santa Monica for a young family with four children. Our compact two-story expansion included a connected kitchen and family gathering areas, pantry, laundry, a home office, and additional second-floor bedrooms and baths with restored and reimagined historic details. New and relocated windows and light sources brought light to a formerly dark home. The new landscape plan introduced a pool and outdoor entertaining areas, along with guest quarters above an existing three-car garage.

This project was stopped as we neared our construction start date: the homeowners purchased another historic home we had worked on just two blocks away. 

While these projects may never be built, they’re still a meaningful part of how we work. Each one carries the same level of care, collaboration, and exploration as our completed homes. Our unbuilt work isn’t separate from our practice, but a natural extension of it — a record of ideas explored, challenges worked through, and artistry that shapes what comes next.