Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Monday, Sep 29, 2025

A Rare Live/Work Compound Hits the Market in Venice, California

A Rare Live/Work Compound Hits the Market in Venice, California

Built by renowned architect David Ming-Li Lowe in 1984, the experimental residence includes a workshop and a commercial storefront.

Spanning nearly 4,000 square feet, a live/work compound presents a unique opportunity in Venice, California, a mere three blocks from the beach. It was built in 1984 by award-winning architect, educator, and artist David Ming-Li Lowe as an experimental lab for an artist-in-residence.



The compound comprises two structures that face a large courtyard. The raised walkway connecting the units creates a long, covered porch-a perfect setting for an outdoor workout space or cafe area.

"As David Gebhard and Robert Winter noted in their classic Architectural Guidebook to Los Angeles, you could easily drive by and not notice this building," says architect and co-listing agent Brian Linder. "It is so anonymous from the street, but once it catches the eye, an exquisite attention to detail is readily apparent."



The home makes clever use of translucent, energy-efficient Kalwall building panels, which invite plenty of natural light inside while also ensuring ample privacy.

Artist-in-residence zoning is unusual for Los Angeles, making this property a true gem. "It’s usually either-or," says Linder. "You can live in a residential zone, but you can’t run a business there. Or you can work in a commercial zone, but you can’t live there. So to have a single space which legitimately allows both is quite rare and valuable."



One of the home’s many seating areas includes a built-in wet bar.

The renovated compound comprises two mirror-image, three-story units that are connected by a private courtyard. The front building is designed as a commercial storefront. "Our clients have had as many as 20 employees working in the space at any given time," says Linder. The private living spaces are located in the rear structure, which has direct access to a three-car garage/workshop from the alley.



The view from the kitchen, which sits on the middle level and overlooks the courtyard.

Upon entry to the main residence, a free-flowing layout weaves together the primary gathering spaces. Floor-to-ceiling glazing creates a bright, airy aesthetic while also strengthening the space’s indoor/outdoor connection. The living room and kitchen-perched on the middle level-are connected by a hardwood deck suspended above the courtyard.



In another seating area, yellow-hued panels add a playful splash of color while complementing the exposed metal cross bracing. Light-colored hardwoods enhance the room’s warm tones.

The private bedroom quarters await on the top floor, which is wrapped with translucent Kalwall panels and large operable windows. In total, the home offers two primary suites, each of which comes with a sun-kissed bath.



"High-end fixtures and finishes can be found throughout both structures, providing an attractive integrated experience for the creative entrepreneur," says Linder.

"This building, to me, has that original Venice attitude and artistic spirit," says Kirsten Kaiyala, who currently owns the property with her partner, Craig Tozzi. "We love the openness, the airflow, the light, and the exposed steel skeleton, which all works so well in the beach climate-you can feel the ocean air circulate through the entire building."



Exposed beams and original hardwood continue into the two bedroom suites located on the top level in the main residence. Each space offers a spacious, calming environment, complete with an en suite bath.



One of the home’s three bathrooms is fitted with an oversized glass shower.



In addition to connecting both structures, the walkway provides a secluded space to sunbathe.



"We’ve spent a lot of time in this building; we both operated our production company from here while also living in the space," says Kaiyala. "Yet we’ve never gotten tired of the way the space changes throughout the day when the light shifts through the translucent or clear walls. One of our favorite aspects about the property is watching the cycles of the moon from the walkway."



A peek at the three-car garage/workshop located on the bottom level of the main residence.

"The overall composition is a celebration of structural steel, inspired by predecessors like Craig Ellwood and Pierre Koenig, with exposed posts and beams as well as elegant cross bracing," states Linder.



A commercial storefront signals business activities within. "Visitors are surprised to find the front door is an actual restaurant walk-in cooler door which David had salvaged-and that still makes me happy 22 years later," says Kaiyala.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
Nvidia and Abu Dhabi’s TII Launch First AI-&-Robotics Lab in the Middle East
UK, Canada, and Australia Officially Recognise Palestine in Historic Shift
New Eye Drops Show Promise in Replacing Reading Glasses for Presbyopia
Dubai Property Boom Shows Strain as Flippers Get Buyer’s Remorse
Top AI Researchers Are Heading Back to China as U.S. Struggles to Keep Pace
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
UAE-US Stargate Project Poised to Make Abu Dhabi a Global AI Powerhouse
Trump and Starmer Clash Over UK Recognition of Palestinian State Amid State Visit
Saudi Arabia cracks down on music ‘lounges’ after conservative backlash
Saudi Arabia Signs ‘Strategic Mutual Defence’ Pact with Pakistan, Marking First Arab State to Gain Indirect Access to Nuclear Strike Capabilities in the Region
Sam Altman sells the 'Wedding Estate' in Hawaii for 49 million dollars
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
Kuwait opens bidding for construction of three cities to ease housing crunch.
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Did the Houthis disrupt the internet in the Middle East? Submarine cables cut in the Red Sea
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
×