On the banks of the American River in the suburb of Carmichael is a striking representation of artistic modern architecture, practical application of form, structural know-how and responsive ownership. The Lakeside Studio, an intimate 1,200-square-foot multi-function living space, is the product of a rigorous architectural mind, that of Mark Dziewulski, an award-winning British architect and onetime resident of Sacramento.
A globetrotter with offices in London and San Francisco, Dziewulski has conceptualized and designed a number of cultural, institutional and commercial projects and a handful of impressive residential properties all over the world. Marking these efforts is an economy of modern design, sustainability, artistry, flexibility and an eye on function. These are but a few qualities that make the Lakeside Studio both a singular architectural effort and a major achievement.
While many modern properties may be serious statements architecturally, they often face livability issues. Indeed, “cold” and “removed” are commonly associated with modernist structures. To overcome this challenge in contemporary building, Dziewulski collaborated closely with the owners. “We just involved them with the process from day one,” he says, adding that it is customary for him to meet with clients casually during the beginning of the design process. “You share dinner, a bottle of wine, and talk about their dreams. It’s about building a lifestyle for someone. Residential architecture is at its best when it expresses the soul of the homeowners.”
In this case, the owners, a civic-minded couple active in politics, philanthropy and the arts, put their faith in Dziewulski to create a structure initially conceived as a private workspace – a functional extension of the existing home. For their trust, they were awarded with a structure that communicates – one that speaks volumes about who lives behind its walls, while honoring the environment beyond them.
“The only thing I can compare the space to is a kind of loft, just because it’s so multi-functional,” says Dziewulski. In its current incarnation, the Lakeside Studio serves its initial purpose as a private office area, but also functions as an exhibition space for the owners’ sizable, rotating art collection. As a stage for various fundraisers and parties, it bridges the existing home and large exterior garden and pond, which occupy an entire home lot. Though the owners’ residence is quite large, the lot next door was purchased for the specific purpose of building a landscape to complement the home’s beautiful river exposure.
Initially, the homeowners envisioned a conservative space resembling the simplicity of their traditional Sacramento home. Realizing what the site could be, and prompted by landscape architect Ed Haag of Sacramento, Dziewulski built two models for the home: the first based on the homeowners’ early vision, the second the design that was eventually built – a sculptural, dynamic, floating form that brings the water closer to the existing home. Inspired by the incredible existing river views, Dziewulski and his team created a large glass pavilion in the new space with huge glass walls for connectivity and one curved wall designed to orient the space to the river, integrating its energy.
The collaboration between architecture and landscape was crucial in marking the departure from a public existence to a protected one. “On one hand the space is very open and you feel among the elements,” Dziewulski says, “but on the other you feel very nurtured…as though underneath a protective tree canopy, overlooking the water but not exposed.” He is quick to credit collaborator Ed Haag and one of the owner’s interest in plants for “bringing the architectural aspects of the landscape to life,” adding that the studio’s glass design is enhanced by the property’s thoughtfully conceived and carefully built exterior. Even though Sacramento summers lean toward sweltering, the large pond moderates the temperature in the garden, making it comfortable for both entertaining and retreating.
The Lakeside Studio triumphs in its interior and exterior connectivity, most dramatically illustrated through water. “It’s fantastic for an architect to work with water because of the opportunity to use the reflections,” Dziewulski says. “Whatever you do will look dramatic.” Helping to achieve that effect is the studio’s cantilever, a set glass panel in the floor yielding views of the outdoor Koi pond and the colorful inhabitants that swim beneath it.
The studio’s sense of quiet and comfort comes from sensual forms, curves, textures and materials, such as limestone, wood and glass. While the large glass paneling incorporates the outdoor element, a canvas of warm materials provides the interior with an added sense of fluidity. Common interior spaces are intentionally sparse, with storage achieved though several accessible but cleverly hidden units.
The Lakeside Studio conveys an overall sense of spatiality, openness and flow. The large roof overhang creates a framed view of the outside world, while preserving privacy. Though integrative, there is an established sense of separation in the space, an intentional break between existing worlds. A striking example of this is a louvered, eastward facing glass wall, with alternately etched and clear glass, framing uninterrupted exterior views of the river and beyond and blocking interior views of those facing the house from the outside. The panels also provide a perfect backdrop for sculpture and artwork when lit dramatically from behind.
A series of circular skylights act in sequence, attracting natural light inward and eliminating any glare between the deep interior and the very bright windows. The sun reflects off the water onto the ceiling, and, though there is the presence of a protective overhang, a sparkling burst of shifting light quietly, but consistently, invades the space year round. The glass element faces south, an ideal orientation since the overhang does not allow the sun to penetrate the home’s interior in summer, while winter’s low warming sun shines right through.
Designed with flexibility in mind, the Lakeside Studio is thoroughly non-intrusive, accomplishing many aims simultaneously. It is sculptural and comfortable, connective and exclusionary, and adaptive to occasion. It is a seamless integration of properties and influences – a modern structure with a sense of independence. But above all, it is a protective intersection of paths, interests and passage.
