Minarc Architects

Rainbow Living

Rainbow Living
© Minarc

RAINBOW LIVING

Minarc

ARCHITECT
Minarc

CATEGORY
Houses

AREA
4200.0 ft2

LOCATION
Santa Monica, United States

Text description provided by architect.

This is the ultimate re-cycling and re-purposing of a 5-unit apartment building into a single-family residence where the available resources have been used conscientiously with a view toward minimizing demolition and maximizing sustainability.

A "no-paint, no-carpet, no-tiles, no-a/c" philosophy keeps unnecessary chemicals away from the dwelling spaces we design.

Rainbow Living
© Minarc
Rainbow Living
© Minarc
Rainbow Living
© Minarc

Recycled concrete panels, recycled rubber, rubber sinks, recycled cork, recycled paperboard, and reclaimed woods lend a new purpose and design to previously existing materials.

The architects harness environmental conditions such as sun and wind to provide the building with the energy, light, and ventilation essential for comfortable living, without wasting new resources.

We aimed for maximum use of natural light to cut down electrical costs. Interior/exterior courtyard allows for natural ventilation as do the master sliding window and living room sliders.

Rainbow Living
© Minarc
Rainbow Living
© Minarc
Rainbow Living
© Minarc

The house boasts solar thermal radiant heat throughout and solar thermal domestic water heating. Project cost: $250 sf. Size: 4,200 sf. Project time: 14 months.

We aimed to transform the existing building with grace and whimsy while minimizing the environmental impact. Less than 50% of the original structure was demolished.

Natural light enters the house to reduce use of electricity, but solar rays are also filtered so they don’t enter directly raise the internal temperature.

Rainbow Living
© Minarc
Rainbow Living
© Minarc

Reaching for innovative sustainable solutions lead to the use of recycled materials, like rubber for sinks and finishing material in the kitchen, repurposing beams from the old house in the courtyard, and the use of reclaimed woods for the staircase and countertops.

Our design elements are not merely decorative, but serve a functional purpose. Material manufactured from recycled tires and cork is used on kitchen cabinetry and kitchen chairs, creating an elegant kitchen unaffected by normal wear and tear of family life.

Rainbow Living
© Minarc
Rainbow Living
© Minarc

The steel windowsill in the front room creates an additional seating area with magnetic cushions that can be re-arranged as needed.

The upstairs bookshelf functions as railings/barriers between floor plans and evokes the ocean with blue panelite.

Rainbow Living
© Minarc
Rainbow Living
© Minarc

Inexpensive re-cycled rubber material used for bathroom sinks chosen for its great sustainability.

Magnetic chalkboard sliders in the play area and paperboard sliders in the kids' rooms transform the house itself into a medium for children's artistic expression.

Rainbow Living
© Minarc
Rainbow Living
© Minarc

Shoe storage drawers beneath coat closet double as a bench for changing shoes.

We struggled with how to orient windows and mass of the house to enable the best ventilation.


Rainbow Living
© Minarc
Rainbow Living
Rainbow Living
© Minarc
Rainbow Living
© Minarc
Rainbow Living
© Minarc
Rainbow Living
© Minarc


Rainbow Living
First Floor Plan
Rainbow Living
Second Floor Plan

Minarc Architects
T +1 310 9988899
Minarc Architects
2324 Michigan Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90404, United States