Venice, California

This project was a complete interior design remodel made with the efficiency of 3D tools. From the first floor to the rooftop deck, the owners and I closely collaborated to create the spaces that we both envisioned.

This is a project located in the Grand Canals of Venice, California.

The clients had recently purchased their new home, built in the 1960s, on a developed lot. While they loved the Mediterranean-style exterior, they wanted to completely renovate the interior to a contemporary style. The challenge was to find ways to incorporate all of the design visions while still meeting the strict Specific Plans of the Venice community, the Coastal Planning Commission, and also respecting the area's historic designation.

The clients' goal was to turn their roof into an usable space by integrating landscaping features, as well as a lounge area, a fire pit, and a large canopy of solar panels. On the third level of the home, they hoped to reorganize the entire floor with two additional bedrooms and a brand new master bedroom suite. The second floor was the main level of the home. There, they envisioned an open, airy space complete with renovated kitchen, dining area, and modernized living room. The lower level included an entertainment room, laundry area, two-car garage, and direct access to the back patio. Lastly they wanted to modernize their windows and doors while still integrating them with the existing facade of the house.

In this project, I used 3D physical models. That's because I believe, just showing printed plans and images during a design meeting is not useful enough. If the architectural design can be depicted in three dimensions, it can show design features such as the materials of the floors, placement of appliances, plumbing fixtures, cabinetry material, etc. In this way, the client can make informed decisions about how and where they can integrate artwork, murals, and other decorative features. They can also make other important decisions, for example, where the sink should be placed and if they want more counter space. Additionally, they will be able to see the natural lighting of a particular area and detect the sightlines of other rooms in the home. My experience with the 3D process has shown me that using this technique helps the client better understand the design process and enables the client to participate more fully. This in turn, enriches the outcome of the project and produces new ideas.

In this project, I built a large scale 1”=1’ model for every room that was designed, including the living room, kitchen, dining area, and bathroom. These models were quite large and took a great deal of effort to create. I found in order to keep the production of design and drawings continuously synchronized, the best way was to integrate 3D BIM software.

A big advantage to using this 3D software is that it allows for greater efficiency. The program enables the design team to easily make changes and updates on a continuous basis. The 3D BIM software is efficient in making design changes and translating those changes onto my drawing sheets. It drastically saves time and is a great tool for remote team collaboration. It also allows the architect to share the files with engineers and consultants and to perform digital analyses and tests. The 3D geometry data inherently carries information about dimensions, material properties and construction build-ups.

All my work now uses this way of production to create efficient and adaptable drawings. This is extremely valuable so that later in the design process when we are through with the project, I can have a set of drawings to deliver to the city for approval and for contractors to bid and build.