THE TREE HOUSE Virtual Tour

Photo Credit: Roger Davies

THE TREE HOUSE Virtual Tour by KAA Design

This is a virtual event.  Virtual meeting information will be sent to registrants one day before the event.

CES Learning Units: 1LU

ARCHITECT
KAA Design

Located on a one and half acre site in Southern California, The Tree House is nestled amidst an array of mature Cork oaks, rare Torrey pines, and fragrant Southern magnolias. Responding to the clients’ longstanding connection to the site and their desire for a unique vision, the project creates a layered system of indoor and outdoor spaces that take their cues from the existing trees. The purposefully orthogonal architecture contrasts with the natural elements, expansive coastal views, and unusual site topography. Architectural volumes cantilever over slopes and span over transparent spaces that invite the outdoor in and frame specific views. 

The architectural language of the residence is centered around simplicity and minimalism – floating and cantilevering rectilinear volumes, progressively lightening to the west and gently anchored to the earth by solid planar elements. This simplicity is further expressed through the building’s contrasting materials palette. Juxtaposed volumes of Cedar clad wood and simple white plaster bars are anchored by solid board formed concrete walls and accentuated by translucent floor to ceiling glass. The home and site sustainably integrate geothermal heating and cooling, photovoltaic energy systems, solar water heating and grey water recirculation.

Presenters:

Grant Kirkpatrick, AIA, KAA Design, Founding Partner

A third generation Californian, Grant Kirkpatrick draws his energy and inspiration from his home state’s progressive ideals and optimistic embrace of the new. He has been the visionary force behind KAA Design Group, the firm he founded 33 years ago. Grant and his team continue to enjoy elevating the human spirit through the benefits and authenticity of warm contemporary residential design.

Raised in Palos Verdes, Grant earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree at USC and became a licensed architect at 24. His entrepreneurial spirit and passion for design led him to found KAA Design just a few years later in 1988. Since then, the award-winning firm has completed projects for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Christie’s auction house, Hugo Boss stores across the nation, master plans and renovations for the Jonathan Club, the Santa Monica Beach Club, the Manhattan Country Club, and other award winning commercial and hospitality projects. The firm now focuses exclusively on custom homes, including residences for Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Kirk Kerkorian, Matt Damon, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The Pritzker Family, and numerous other coastal retreats, city-view estates, and vacation properties for a broad range of passionate clients.

Community service and academics are a core part of Grant’s practice. He serves as the Board Chair for non-profit ArtworxLA and on the Board of Councilors for the USC School of Architecture. Grant teaches at the annual XED Executive Education Program at USC and frequently lectures on topics surrounding Southern California residential architecture. His community involvement has included numerous industry appointments including  two-terms as a planning commissioner for the City of Manhattan Beach, membership on the Bel-Air Architecture Review Board, and juror for the Santa Barbara AIA Design Awards.

Over the past 33 years, KAA Design has won numerous AIA awards, the “Good Design is Good Business” award from Architectural Record, the 2009 PDC Stars of Design award for Architecture, Azure Magazine’s Best Product award, as well as several Los Angeles Design Council, LA Business Journal and City of Beverly Hills Architecture awards. The firm’s work has been extensively published in over 30 design magazines and books including Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, New York Times, LA Times,  Coastal Living, Sunset Magazine, and The Robb Report.

Outside day-to-day operations of KAA Design, Grant has developed a comprehensive line of outdoor furniture for Design Within Reach and a line of prefab homes. He enjoys spending his time off tending to his vineyard in Central California. Grant and his family are longtime residents of Manhattan Beach.

Duan Tran, AIA, KAA Design, Partner

As a Partner of the firm, Duan’s vision and leadership extend to both management and project design.  His focus on firm wide initiatives related to its organizational growth, business development, and long term strategic planning, guide the firm’s ability to leverage its 30+ year history with a nimbleness required to retain its position on the frontlines of an ever changing industry and clientele.

Duan also maintains a leading presence on all aspects of design for many of the firm’s most notable projects and discerning clients. With an artistic sensibility rooted in modern composition and form, he enjoys exploring the intersections of his ideals in collaboration with an engaged and passionate client through the process of designing their home.  Several of his projects have been recognized by the AIA, as well as having been featured in several regional, national, and international publications including Architectural Digest, Luxe, and the Robb Report.

A native Ohioan, Duan received his undergraduate degree from Miami (OH), and graduate degrees in both Architecture and Historic Preservation from the University of Southern California.  Prior to joining KAA Design, Duan’s professional career included several distinguished residential and hospitality firms in both Ohio and Washington DC.

Duan is a licensed Architect and member of the AIA.  He is also a member of the prestigious Leaders of Design Council, the Board of Directors for A+D Museum in Los Angeles, and Advisory Board for Miami (OH)’s College of Creative Arts.  Duan has also been invited to serve on several academic design juries, as well as a guest panelist for several design and industry media events.

Outside of the office, Duan and his wife enjoy finding time to travel, all awhile keeping up with their three active daughters in Culver City.

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
Make Ground
Greg Hebert – https://www.greghebert.com/
KAA Design

INTERIOR DESIGNER
Pamela Smith
https://psisd.com/

LIGHTING DESIGN
KGM Architectural Lighting
https://www.kgmlighting.com/

CONTRACTOR
Tom Waters

PHOTOGRAPHY
Roger Davies
https://www.rogerdaviesphotography.com/

DRONE FOOTAGE
Steven Yee – Wood Island Media
https://www.woodislandmedia.com/