Escher GuneWardena house in Glassell Park balances city with nature, the formal with the casual

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A new house by noted architects Frank Escher and Ravi GuneWardena rises to great effect in the Glassell Park neighborhood of L.A. The architects created a promenade that leads visitors down a tunnel-like hallway lined in plywood, above, and then up stairs to a top floor that’s something else entirely: an open, airy room, at right, whose floor-to-ceiling windows and doors at both ends allow for views of Burbank to the west and Elyria Canyon Park to the east.

‘When we first went over there 10 years ago, we had a picnic on the site,’ GuneWardena said. ‘We identified two wonderful but distinct views -- one urban, the other natural. We wanted to highlight this contrast for those inside the house.’

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-- David Hay