Silvertop by Bestor Architecture and Jamie Bush + Co

First crafted by John Lautner in the mid-20th century, Silvertop captures the architect’s penchant for futuristic, boundary-pushing design. In collaboration with interiors firm Jamie Bush + Co, Bestor Architecture renovates the historic home according to its original inspiration while lending the project a sense of contemporary foresight.

Settled on a hillside in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, Silvertop overlooks a large stretch of open space and greenery. The existing home emerges from a seven-year creative process shared by Lautner and his client, industrialist and engineer Ken Reiner. The outcome, with its dramatic arched concrete roof and glass walls, holds the same architectural significance to the West Coast as Fallingwater – designed by the legendary Frank Lloyd Wright – does to the East Coast. “This project was super well documented and that archive of all those drawings and documentation is at the Getty, so when we first started [the renovation], we were able to kind of create our own document of intentions,” says Barbara Bestor, principal at Bestor Architecture. The design brief involved restoring the systems championed by Lautner and incorporating 21st-century technologies.

The design brief involved restoring the systems championed by Lautner and incorporating 21st-century technologies.

From the top of the driveway, a carport and ramp lead to the front door of the home. Immediately inside, there are two bedrooms as well as, further on, a kitchen and outdoor terrarium. Beyond lies a spacious living room with bespoke banquette seating. “There were a lot of functional requirements that this home had to meet. In a way, that’s preserving the integrity of the architecture but also creating a very liveable space for a family of four,” explains Jamie Bush, founder of Jamie Bush + Co. The interior design establishes three clear zones within the central living space: the kitchen, lounge and dining area. While floating shelves distinguish the kitchen, a tambour storage system hides the television in the lounge and bench seating draws diners close to a framed view. “These three distinct areas were about attaching elements to the existing architecture,” says Bush. “That gave a foundation for the programmatic separation of the spaces.”

Silvertop’s external architecture consists of a concrete shell with glass sides, supported by four large concrete pillars. “Some of the futuristic systems in this house include, of course, the thin shell and concrete roof, but also the first infinity pool, and in the primary bedroom, there’s a great retractable skylight,” says Bestor. In the bathroom, a 10-tonne piece of glass allows the space to be opened to the patio, while in the kitchen, retractable wood cabinetry presents a seamless and refined visual language that belies the enhanced functionality of the space. With regards to materiality, timber elements across the home are complemented by stainless steel, soapstone and terrazzo. The latter is used to create large geometric patterns flowing from indoors to out.

The interior design establishes three clear zones within the central living space: the kitchen, lounge and dining area.

Stripped back and then thoroughly restored, Silvertop embodies the respectful continuation of a significant Los Angeles home. While celebrating systems first introduced by Lautner, Bestor Architecture and Jamie Bush + Co make the changes necessary to maintain the dwelling’s spirit of innovation.

Architecture by Bestor Architecture. Interior design by Jamie Bush + Co. General contracting by Nate Wasik. Landscape design by Studio MLA.