Architecture

MAD's "hillside village" creates inner-city oasis in Beverly Hills

MAD's "hillside village" creates inner-city oasis in Beverly Hills
Gardenhouse, by MAD, aims to recreate the feel of a traditional Chinese hillside village in Beverly Hills
Gardenhouse, by MAD, aims to recreate the feel of a traditional Chinese hillside village in Beverly Hills
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Gardenhouse is located at 8600 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California
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Gardenhouse is located at 8600 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California
Gardenhouse consists of a large base hosting retail stores, a gym and homes, with a cluster of different homes on top of it
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Gardenhouse consists of a large base hosting retail stores, a gym and homes, with a cluster of different homes on top of it
Gardenhouse's base is covered in what MAD calls one of the USA's largest green walls
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Gardenhouse's base is covered in what MAD calls one of the USA's largest green walls
"The entrance adopts the atmosphere of a cave digging into the hillside; a dim, surreal environment where residents are led on a journey through a fairyland' of light, shadow, and the sound of water,"
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"The entrance adopts the atmosphere of a cave digging into the hillside; a dim, surreal environment where residents are led on a journey through a 'fairyland' of light, shadow, and the sound of water," says MAD
Gardenhouse's central courtyard is conceived as a meeting place for residents
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Gardenhouse's central courtyard is conceived as a meeting place for residents
Gardenhouse is centered around a multi-level courtyard area which con
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Gardenhouse's courtyard includes a reflective pool and serves as a central meeting point for residents
Gardenhouse features significant greenery throughout, which will continue to grow and cover the area over time
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Gardenhouse features significant greenery throughout, which will continue to grow and cover the area over time
Gardenhouse includes two studios, eight condominiums, three townhouses and five villas
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Gardenhouse includes two studios, eight condominiums, three townhouses and five villas
Gardenhouse's interiors are designed by Rottet Studio
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Gardenhouse's interiors are designed by Rottet Studio
Gardenhouse, by MAD, aims to recreate the feel of a traditional Chinese hillside village in Beverly Hills
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Gardenhouse, by MAD, aims to recreate the feel of a traditional Chinese hillside village in Beverly Hills
Gardenhouse's villas include their own balconies and private outdoor living areas
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Gardenhouse's villas include their own balconies and private outdoor living areas
Gardenhouse's interiors are light-filled and feature white walls and stone and wooden floors
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Gardenhouse's interiors are light-filled and feature white walls and stone and wooden floors
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A "hillside village" has appeared in Beverly Hills, California. Named Gardenhouse, the greenery-covered project is the latest in a long line of remarkable works by Chinese firm MAD Architects and is designed to offer residents a pleasant escape from the bustle of city life.

First unveiled back in 2015, Gardenhouse was created in collaboration with Gruen Associates and Rottet Studio, and is located at 8600 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. It measures 4,460 sq m (48,000 sq ft) and consists of a large base hosting retail space, a gym and homes, with a cluster of homes on top of it. The base is covered with low-maintenance drought-resistant plants and vines, and is one of the USA's largest green walls, according to MAD.

"Residents of 'Gardenhouse' are welcomed via a ground-floor entrance along Stanley Drive, off Wilshire Boulevard," says MAD. "The entrance adopts the atmosphere of a cave digging into the hillside; a dim, surreal environment where residents are led on a journey through a 'fairyland' of light, shadow, and the sound of water. Further ahead, the softness of the cave meets a bright conclusion, with natural light flooding through a connected water feature from the courtyard patio above. Standing beneath this threshold, visitors marvel at a framed view of sun, sky, landscape, and water: a living painting removing people from the reality of the city."

Gardenhouse's central courtyard is conceived as a meeting place for residents
Gardenhouse's central courtyard is conceived as a meeting place for residents

The project includes two studios, eight condominiums, three townhouses, and five villas of differing sizes and shapes that share a uniform style. They are centered around a two-story courtyard area that features a reflective pool and greenery, and forms a gathering place for residents to meet.

The interiors of the homes are light-filled, with white walls, a mixture of wooden and stone floors, and generous glazing throughout. They feature an open-plan layout with private outdoor living spaces, "chef-caliber" kitchens with high-end Miele appliances, Italian cabinetry and stone countertops, and master bathrooms with Japanese-inspired wet rooms.

We've no word on the price of the units but would hazard a guess that they won't be cheap.

Gardenhouse's interiors are light-filled and feature white walls and stone and wooden floors
Gardenhouse's interiors are light-filled and feature white walls and stone and wooden floors

Incorporating nature into its architecture is a key principle of MAD's work and you can see the same principles informing its Quzhou Sports Park and Chaoyang Park Plaza. Gardenhouse is the firm's first project in the United States, though there's another on the way in the form of the Lucas Museum.

Sources: MAD, Gardenhouse

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2 comments
2 comments
CAVUMark
After much contemplation and reflection I think I prefer American Architecture....
Daishi
I don't see the point of the giant sculpture in the middle and the super high ceilings are mostly just wasted square footage in a place where space is a really high premium. This is part of why the structural engineers often hate building architects. For the middle area I would have made the top part a pool or park and the area below it I would make a cafe/coffee shop that's also accessible from the street. It would give tenants a better place to socialize or entertain guests than the big sculpture thing. As for the vegetation all over the building aren't people often prohibited in souther California from watering their lawns because of water restrictions? I don't see how catering to wealthy people's need to use plants as a building surface is any more of a valid use of water than having a lawn. A couple years ago all the Hollywood celebrities were all shamed for having watered lawns during the water shortage and they replaced their laws with materials that didn't need to be watered. Good design combines form and function.