Cano House Turns Mid-Century Architectural Technique into Modern Home

Cano House, built by California-based Diego Cano Lasso architectural practice, reinterprets mid-century post-and-beam architecture into a modern handcrafted masterpiece. Built on a steep, impossible cliffside in Los Angeles, California, the hillside home quietly hovers above the bustling city, overlooking natural landscape on one side and the Hollywood hills on the other.

The Spanish architect wanted to experiment with traditional mid-century architectural techniques. He wanted to prove that it is possible to construct modern houses on a hillside that are structurally light-built. Upon seeing an empty plot of cliff land in the city, he turned this opportunity into a project to build a modern mid-century cantilever structure.

According to urdesign, the construction of Cano House took 14 grueling years to finish. The architect faced many challenges in building this quaint retreat-like house. Amid a global pandemic, neighborhood opposition, and the near-collapse of the Los Angeles construction industry, the architect continued to pursue this project. Even when labor was unavailable, he teamed up with his wife, brother, and a group of friends to build this house.

The striking cantilevered façade of the building features 42-foot-long wooden beams stretching outwards through the living space. This exposed wooden beam structure blocks the harsh sunlight and provides shade. The large window blinds and horizontal wooden slats on the balcony let cool breeze seep in while blocking the peak sunlight. The main front of the house has floor-to-ceiling glazed walls, which give it a glass box-like appearance.

This expansive glazing visually connects you with the natural landscape and gives a floating feel while you stay indoors. The two colorful walls on both sides of the glazed building have eye-catching mosaic tilework that shines beautifully when sunlight hits it. The architect’s brother personally glued these tiles to the wall, giving it an artistic, handcrafted appeal.

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The large glazed door opens in the sun-drenched, wood-wrapped interior, adorned with a bold color palette. The yellow kitchen becomes the focal point of the main living space. It has a generous handle-less cabinetry and a long kitchen island featuring textured hand-laid tilework and built-in seating. It contrasts with the wooden beams and yellow cabinets, and adds decorative, tactile richness to the space.

The architectural team also brought in the large boulders from the excavation sites and used them to build coffee tables. The aforementioned mosaic walls in the covered outdoor terrace conceal a small garden sanctuary, visible through the glazed living room. The spiral staircase leads to the lower level with recreational areas, an additional bedroom, and an office, as mentioned by Wallpaper.

The Cano House serves as a great example of traditional post-and-beam architectural techniques and turning them into a modern cantilevered residence that seems to float above the Californian hillside. The strong passion and dedication Diego Cano showed to his experimental project resulted in a handcrafted piece of art that is difficult to replicate again.