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My sophomore year of fligh school, I was given a D+ for writing a paper entitled “Plato Hates L.A.” My thesis was simple: wouldn’t he whom decried shadows on the wall condemn the city that made shadows into art? I stood by my thesis (on one leg, of course) until I came across two jewels of minimalist architecture that could appease my favorite philosopher.
The Mokokuro House, designed by LA’s own W3 Architects, combines a distinctly Japanese minimalism with the modern Californian ethos of sustainability and harmony with nature. The similarly-ascetic home at 1622 Ewing St. by the Swedish firm Jordens Arkitekter imbues an organic warmth into its modern sensibilities with natural materials that blend in with the surrounding nature.
The geometric lines of both homes juxtapose the verdant panoramas that flood their floor-to-ceiling windows, inviting the landscape into the space. You can imagine Plato’s delight in these homes that blur the lines between inside and out, whose shadow-casting walls hold picture windows that beckon Mother Earth to pull up a seat and marvel in her creation.
While I have been informed that Plato has been dead for many years (“at least 25,” according to the owl on Carson Street), these houses deserve to be seen for all of their existential brilliance. Stop by — I’ll be the one corrupting the minds of the hatchlings.
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