ODE TO MODERNISM
The American studio Woods + Dangaran perpetuates the modernist soul so characteristic of California's cultural identity through seven of their residential projects, which enhance their first monograph.
Brett Woods and Joseph Dangaran have forged a solid reputation on the Los Angeles architectural scene over the past ten years. After studying together at the USC School of Architecture, they decided to join forces by founding their own studio in 2013. The former was drawn to architecture at the age of seven, watching family friends make their models into life-size buildings. The second was inspired by Native American sites and the way the vernacular is integrated into the landscape. Since then, this tandem has made modernism a strong commitment. For Michael Webb, author of some twenty books on modernist architecture and design, their homes become "places of conviviality for family and friends, oases of calm overlooking a sunny garden or spiritual retreats to lie in bed and contemplate the stars." This is the message conveyed by these seven residential projects in their elegantly simple first monograph, published by Rizzoli. Their rectilinear forms, open spaces, sustainable materials and landscaping are a fine celebration of this post-war avant-garde movement.
Love of light
n this collection, everything works together to sublimate a revolutionary art of living adapted to the 21st century. Modernist, contemporary furniture and vegetation soften the rigorous geometry of architecture, blurring the boundaries between inside and outside. Stone floors, precious wood cabinets, plaster and marble walls, bay windows... their lighting designs are meticulously thought out, taking advantage of the eclectic setting of Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Los Feliz or Culver City. And at the heart of it all, the same consistency: "peace and solitude, links with nature and meticulous detail". The City of Angels is renowned for this lifestyle, shaping the legacy of the great names in design and architecture. A case in point is their splendid renovation of the Moore House, designed by Craig Ellwood in 1965, which transcends the excellence of Californian modernism. As Michael Webb again points out, the residences are "graceful but not pretentious, connected to the essence of the land, while evoking the panache of Hollywood." Today, the duo want to add to their list of achievements, looking further afield and planning to design cultural buildings and boutique hotels.
