Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jul 12, 2025

A Sustainable Renovation of a Los Angeles Midcentury Channels Its Designers’ Utopian Ideals

A Sustainable Renovation of a Los Angeles Midcentury Channels Its Designers’ Utopian Ideals

The principles of the Wonderland Park community and the owner’s interest in renewable energy inspired this transformation by Assembledge+.

Situated along a gently curving street in the hills of Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, is a little-known planned community called Wonderland Park. Developed in the early 1950s by a group of architect friends, it was created-like many developments of the era-as a postwar utopia, meant to embody ideals of integration, tolerance, and modern design. So when it came time for Nina and Yaniv Tepper to remodel their 1956 ranch home in the neighborhood, they wanted it to express these same sensibilities.



The couple hired Assembledge+ to devise an addition and renovation that "is in complete harmony with the core principles upon which the neighborhood was founded," explains studio principal David Thompson, who describes the Teppers, old friends of his from middle and high school, as "a progressive, forward-thinking family."



Yaniv is a partner at a private equity firm that invests in clean energy-naturally, sustainability was core to the project. A solar array generates enough energy to power the home’s electricity, and a gray water system captures wastewater to irrigate the drought-tolerant landscape.



Clever application of materials and the introduction of a 30-foot skylight along the original pitched roof seamlessly link the original structure and second-story addition. Sustainably harvested Western red cedar continuously runs from the ceiling of the family room up through the skylight and wraps the exterior, giving the sense that the volume floats above the main floor.



The owners often host large groups of friends and family, and interior designer Vanessa Alexander was tasked with creating distinct, yet cohesive rooms in the open-plan living area. The kitchen is literally and figuratively the heart of the home. Warm white oak custom cabinetry adds two islands with waterfall Caesarstone countertops, maximizing seating and serving options when entertaining.



"We kept profiles fairly low to allow the spaces to communicate with each other, so that if you were having a party and groups of people were in different areas of the home, you felt like you were having a connected experience," says Alexander.



A minimalist fireplace clad in smooth, troweled plaster anchors the living room, where a custom sofa, daybed, and vintage chairs sit on a Mehraban rug. A wall of Arcadia windows opens up to the patio, allowing for indoor/outdoor living.



"[Yaniv] wanted all of the rooms to feel connected to the outside," says Alexander. Nowhere is this more evident than in the family room, where a plush custom navy sectional doesn’t face a television, but instead looks out through a wall of operable windows onto the pool.



Upstairs in the new primary suite, the design team brought the outside in through wraparound windows that maximize views of the canyon and neighborhood, where landscape architect Garrett Eckbo’s original master plan for tree planting is still on display.



"The entire canyon is filled with oaks and eucalyptus trees," says Thompson, explaining that the shape of the roof is "inspired by the notion of a tree house, allowing the occupants to feel as though they lived among the trees."



Alexander even designed a custom bed that’s slightly taller than typical so the owners would have a better vantage point out the windows, which start at 50 inches off the ground: "We wanted the clients to have a view when lying in bed to the trees and wooded landscape."



A dreamy reading nook bathed in shades of cream features a built-in sofa that’s a perfect perch for looking at the trees. "We wanted it to feel super comfortable and soft, yet curated," says Alexander. "The idea being that once you come upstairs to the master suite, you could be somewhat self-sufficient and not want to leave this haven."


Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
×