Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

A Sustainable Renovation of a Los Angeles Midcentury Channels Its Designers’ Utopian Ideals

A Sustainable Renovation of a Los Angeles Midcentury Channels Its Designers’ Utopian Ideals

The principles of the Wonderland Park community and the owner’s interest in renewable energy inspired this transformation by Assembledge+.

Situated along a gently curving street in the hills of Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, is a little-known planned community called Wonderland Park. Developed in the early 1950s by a group of architect friends, it was created-like many developments of the era-as a postwar utopia, meant to embody ideals of integration, tolerance, and modern design. So when it came time for Nina and Yaniv Tepper to remodel their 1956 ranch home in the neighborhood, they wanted it to express these same sensibilities.



The couple hired Assembledge+ to devise an addition and renovation that "is in complete harmony with the core principles upon which the neighborhood was founded," explains studio principal David Thompson, who describes the Teppers, old friends of his from middle and high school, as "a progressive, forward-thinking family."



Yaniv is a partner at a private equity firm that invests in clean energy-naturally, sustainability was core to the project. A solar array generates enough energy to power the home’s electricity, and a gray water system captures wastewater to irrigate the drought-tolerant landscape.



Clever application of materials and the introduction of a 30-foot skylight along the original pitched roof seamlessly link the original structure and second-story addition. Sustainably harvested Western red cedar continuously runs from the ceiling of the family room up through the skylight and wraps the exterior, giving the sense that the volume floats above the main floor.



The owners often host large groups of friends and family, and interior designer Vanessa Alexander was tasked with creating distinct, yet cohesive rooms in the open-plan living area. The kitchen is literally and figuratively the heart of the home. Warm white oak custom cabinetry adds two islands with waterfall Caesarstone countertops, maximizing seating and serving options when entertaining.



"We kept profiles fairly low to allow the spaces to communicate with each other, so that if you were having a party and groups of people were in different areas of the home, you felt like you were having a connected experience," says Alexander.



A minimalist fireplace clad in smooth, troweled plaster anchors the living room, where a custom sofa, daybed, and vintage chairs sit on a Mehraban rug. A wall of Arcadia windows opens up to the patio, allowing for indoor/outdoor living.



"[Yaniv] wanted all of the rooms to feel connected to the outside," says Alexander. Nowhere is this more evident than in the family room, where a plush custom navy sectional doesn’t face a television, but instead looks out through a wall of operable windows onto the pool.



Upstairs in the new primary suite, the design team brought the outside in through wraparound windows that maximize views of the canyon and neighborhood, where landscape architect Garrett Eckbo’s original master plan for tree planting is still on display.



"The entire canyon is filled with oaks and eucalyptus trees," says Thompson, explaining that the shape of the roof is "inspired by the notion of a tree house, allowing the occupants to feel as though they lived among the trees."



Alexander even designed a custom bed that’s slightly taller than typical so the owners would have a better vantage point out the windows, which start at 50 inches off the ground: "We wanted the clients to have a view when lying in bed to the trees and wooded landscape."



A dreamy reading nook bathed in shades of cream features a built-in sofa that’s a perfect perch for looking at the trees. "We wanted it to feel super comfortable and soft, yet curated," says Alexander. "The idea being that once you come upstairs to the master suite, you could be somewhat self-sufficient and not want to leave this haven."


AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×