The Middlebrook Studios

What were the circumstances of receiving the commission for this project?

CCS was put on a shortlist of architects. We were interviewed and based on our qualifications and enthusiasm fro the project, we were selected. The group that interviewed CCS was the founder Carl Djerassi, his son Dale Djerassi, the executive director Dennis O‘leary, and George Wolfson who is a trustee.

Can you describe your design process for the building?

The design process started with walking the site with the clients to establish where to build the studios. Like all projects, I work very collaboratively with my clients, so this was the start of that.

Then in schematic design, I explored a variety of building types and shapes, but decided it should be 4 small buildings that came together as a collective, and that is what the overall canopy roof does. I thought about what writers in residency would want and what would make them more creative than usual. From that I felt the best was to aim them at the Pacific Ocean to be inspired by the beauty of the place, yet with their own privacy. No other people, nor the other studios, can be seen from any of the studios, so an introverted experience is contrasted with an extroverted view. This was presented as an artistic endeavor to the clients and they really appreciated it – as they felt that anything created at the program should be of high artistic nature.

How does the completed building compare to the project as designed? Were there any dramatic changes between the two and/or lessons learned during construction?

It compares very closely to what was expected. The design was modeled in the computer, and we built a scale model of it as well. This taught us what to expect, and in the end it ended up better than expected because the site is so dramatic and you can't really model that. I use wood in many of my projects and, as you can see, this was the case here too.

How does the building compare to other projects in your office, be it the same or other building types?

It’s different than other projects in that the program is different than a house or a restaurant. It’s also architecture to foster a single person to be more creative, and to perhaps foster expanded thought. Even though mostly different, it's similar in the fact that it’s still for domestic use…a room to stay in essentially.

How does the building relate to contemporary architectural trends, be it sustainability, technology, etc.?

It’s a version of what I call "warm modernism," which is somewhat common today. The projects have a bit of sustainability incorporated, from PV solar panels on the roof to FSC Lumber and fly ash concrete. We also carpeted the floors with carpet tiles that were leftover samples from our office.

Are there any new/upcoming projects in your office that this building’s design and construction has influenced?

New projects that are influenced by this aren't happening yet, but hopefully soon. It will be based on a certain type of client.

Email interview conducted by John Hill.