While I am generally a fan of preservation, this house has me torn. On the one hand, its great to have a unique example of mid-century modern from a regionally acclaimed architect preserved for posterity. On the other hand, this house should never have been built in Malaga Cove. It is out of character with the vision the PV Project planners had for the area, and it is also not in keeping with the scale and feel of comparable homes in the area.
That said, the home that is meant to take its place gives me great pause - for I fear it may go the way of the uber-McMansion.
The replacement home will span nearly 6,000sf and is penned by Ed Beall's firm. Ed Beall is one of the better architects in the area. That said, the above design is plagued with the features and artifcats of a classic Caliterranean McMansion - too many windows which are oversized, arches galore and an overall massing that is uninspired and boring. I recall the comment from George Washington Smith that white space is just as important as other facade features, if not more so. Why do McMansionists feel the need to fill every nook and cranny of a home with some ornate this or that? Restraint! Understatement! Subtlety! These should be the guiding principles with which pen is put to paper.