Harris Pool House, Palm Springs, courtesy of Marmol Radziner and Associates.Restoring the Role of Architect As Master Builder
Established in 1989, Marmol Radziner and Associates began experimenting with a design/build approach after two years of conventional practice. For the last twelve years, the firm has gradually refined their skills, reclaiming a knowledge of construction that has partially disappeared from the profession of architecture. Inspired by the Bauhaus philosophy, the firm brings together artists, craftsmen, and designers in order to find an integral relation between design and process of production.
By taking responsibility for every level of detail, Marmol Radziner and Associates has developed into a truly interdisciplinary firm, consisting of architects, general contractors, landscape architects, furniture makers, carpenters, and site supervisors. Within the firm, collaborative processes among the diverse disciplines are nourished, and an open exchange of ideas results in creative, buildable solutions.
The Natural World
Reflected in the firm’s projects is the desire to create a more harmonious relationship between people and the natural world. Projects engage and embrace the mild Southern California climate and landscape, blending the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces. The design concepts are inspired by the unique characteristics of each client and each site, applying a modernist language of clean lines and simple forms.
The firm incorporates sustainable natural and renewable materials and building technologies. Common throughout the work are passive energy conservation systems, including roof overhangs that act as summer sun shades, floors that collect the winter sun’s warmth and radiate it through the day, and siting that takes advantage of cross-breezes.
Civic Identity
Marmol Radziner and Associates actively seeks projects that reinvigorate the civic identity of Los Angeles, designing context-appropriate buildings for organizations dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults. Among the firm’s civic projects are the Accelerated School in South Los Angeles, a pre-K through 12 school and community center; First Flight Child Development Center at Los Angeles World Airport; and The Mark Taper/Inner City Arts Center, a collaboration with Michael Maltzan that adapted a community arts center from a former warehouse.
TWBA \ CHIAT \ DAY, San Francisco, photo by Benny Chan.Fabrication
The firm’s commitment to design extends to include custom fabrication of cabinetry and casework, windows and doors, finishes, and fixtures, as well as furniture. Run by architects, the in-house wood and metal shops create pieces that seamlessly fit their contexts, whether in historic restorations or renovations or in new residential or commercial spaces.
After years of crafting custom furniture for individual homes, Marmol Radziner and Associates recently released its own collection of furniture. The Marmol Radziner Furniture collection embraces the modernist idiom of clean lines and simple forms, balancing textures and materials with the same precision and attention to detail given to their architectural projects. In addition, the firm reproduces the furniture that R.M. Schindler designed for his King’s Road House. These designs are licensed to Marmol Radziner Furniture through Friends of the Schindler House/MAK Center for Art and Architecture, and significant proceeds from the sale of this furniture go directly toward the continued conservation of the King’s Road House.
Preserving Architectural History
An important aspect of Marmol Radziner and Associates’ work is the restoration of modern architectural icons in Southern California. Preserving an original building’s architectural integrity while bringing it up to contemporary standards of construction is a delicate balance, one that the firm takes seriously. Research is a critical aspect of the restoration process. Reviewing archival drawings and photographic documentation from the period helps to piece together a structure’s details and material composition. To date, the firm has restored six homes by Richard Neutra—including his iconic 1946 Kaufmann House—one by Albert Frey, and one by R.M. Schindler. The firm is currently restoring three additional Neutra houses, Schindler’s King’s Road House, John Lautner’s Garcia House, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Millard House (“La Miniatura”).
Originally published 3rd quarter 2004 in arcCA 04.3, “Photo Finish.”
