Each design project that my team and I at DBA take on is special in its own way. We firmly believe that if the passion isn’t there for us when we get a project inquiry, then the client is better served with a different team. This means that each project we sign on speaks to us in a visceral way. And, today, I’m excited to share a preview a project I’m working on with Bosch called the Bridge House. This project really awakened a trifecta of feelings for us – drive, creativity, and collaboration.
What I love most about DBA’s projects is how beyond this initial emotional reaction, projects continue to evolve as inspiration strikes from almost anywhere. While the property in Hancock Park, a neighborhood in the heart of LA, initially spoke to me as a modern renovation, it was a trip to the East Coast that really inspired the unique design of the home.
After a visit to the Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island, I came back to the Bridge House jobsite refreshed and with a new vision. I wanted to create a groundbreaking, “floating” retreat perfectly saddled over a bubbling stream located on the property. Hence the name: Bridge House. We truly are creating an inhabitable bridge over a stream. Peaceful. Tranquil. And, not quite what you would expect in the hustle and bustle of LA living.
And while inspiration like this is always important, an architect plays an interesting role in that our work touches both hemispheres of the brain. Not only must we push the limits of creativity, but also we must think about things from a very practical, technical point of view. Inspiration is often the first step, but the project can never come to fruition without true innovation. As the team undertakes the challenge of redefining the traditional one-story home concept to a long, rectangular shape and 210-foot length, this effort required an equal balance of both inspiration and innovation.
