Located on the Trousdale Estates of Beverly Hills, among the hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Mirrorhouse by multi-award winning firm XTEN Architecture led by Monika Haefelfinger and Scott Utterstrom perfectly epitomizes the California dream house.

An accurate exercise in style and control of proportions, the project is conceived as a simple though rational house with modular and open spaces. Symmetries and reflections are widely used as tools of space construction – in some cases to highlight the contrast between solids and voids, in others to shadow it. The view over the city of Los Angeles, however, is the true protagonist, constantly evoked in the refined dialogue between interior and exterior.

The five volumes articulating the floor plan enclose the main living areas, establishing a visual relationship that blurs the boundaries between internal and external space. The elements of this beautiful game of intersections are the entry garden and the fountain to the east, the courtyard and reflecting pool to the west, the garden to the north and the pool with infinity edge to the south, whose waters reflect the city and the sky. Finally, the floor to ceiling glazing and sliding glass doors separating the five volumes further enhance this fusion between the spaces and the skyline of Los Angeles.

The chromatic palette selected by XTEN Architecture tempers the nuances of white that describe the neutral background both of the interiors and exteriors with polished black marble finishes. The light stone flooring recaptures the design of the walls and ceiling, creating a beautiful adornment to the scenic view.

The project, a true example of design excellence, has won XTEN Architecture three awards: AIA Los Angeles Design Award (2016), Chicago Athenaeum American Architecture Award (2017), Chicago Athenaeum International Architecture Award (2018).