Open House

"Pick an architect who knows when to be quiet and listen to your ideas but who is confident enough to know his own mind. This advice from Koopman's mother guided their selection of Lorcan O'Herlihy, whose experience apprenticing with I.M. Pei and Steven Holl in New York City prepared him to balance client vision with architectural expertise while launching his residential practice in Los Angeles."

"The living areas--kitchen, dining, family and sitting rooms--flow into one another on the main floor, and a corridor leads to a library that opens onto a roof deck over the master bedroom suite below. Both the corridor and library are bathed in natural light from extensive use of Reglit, a translucent glass panel that had formerly been employed in commercial buildings in Europe."

"O'Herlihy had installed built-in ash shelves and cabinets, leaving his clients to match their furnishings to the spirit of the architecture. The sensual material diffuses light evenly while providing privacy for the owners, who are avid readers, with a wall of shelves filled with their favorite books set off by a tiny central window as the library's focal point."

Trice Koopman and Mark Freund hired architect Lorcan O'Herlihy to expand their 1940s modern home in Pacific Palisades for their growing family. Rather than simply adding to the existing structure, O'Herlihy convinced them to demolish most of the old house and build a new three-level complex that better utilized the wooded site and views. The design features flowing living spaces on the main floor, a library with extensive natural light from Reglit translucent glass panels, and strategically placed bedrooms across multiple levels. The innovative use of Reglit, a European commercial material, provides even light diffusion while maintaining privacy. Built-in ash shelves and cabinets throughout the home establish the architectural aesthetic, requiring homeowners to carefully select furnishings that complement the design's minimalist spirit.

Read at Los Angeles Times