Ark House

Ark House, designed by Johnston Marklee, is a compact studio sited on a large property near the Pacific Ocean in Pacific Palisades, California. The building occupies the same site as Richard Neutra’s 1934 Sten-Frenke House, and its placement and form are informed by the spatial relationships and design vocabulary established by that historic residence. Programmatically, the project provides a private office suite and accommodation for guests, serving as a secondary structure on the parcel. The new building’s massing incorporates a curved façade that responds directly to a key geometric element of the main house: the sun room’s distinct rounded volume, characteristic of Neutra’s approach in his early North American work. This strategic mirroring creates a visual dialogue between the two structures while ensuring that the new construction remains subordinate to its context. The design employs minimal detailing and contemporary materials in keeping with a restrained, modern character.