After renovating Richard Neutra’s Kaufmann House in Palm Springs, the clients purchased this home, which was designed by Morphosis in 1980. The Morphosis house was a postmodern collision of an industrial building and beach cottage, with intersecting geometric design and a complex internal stair connecting four interior levels. The entrance features a three-story, semicircular atrium, while the top level contains the living room, dining room, and kitchen — each overlooking the ocean.

The early self-executed Morphosis Project deteriorated prematurely – rust, leaks and other wear had taken a substantial toll. With limited documentation available from the original construction, the firm contacted early morphosis employees to help establish design intent.

kdA renovated and updated the house to reflect the original design of the architect, had the original design not been substantially altered by cost saving strategies and construction delays. Originally clad in galvanized steel, the building was quickly painted to arrest the rate of corrosion. The firm coordinated the recladding of the building with zinc-coated stainless steel and concrete board to replace its former, cheaper materials of galvanized sheet metal and asphalt shingles. Room-sized furniture pieces were added to the “industrial shed” to create habitable space for the family’s children.

During this time the owners purchased the property next door and requested the design of a guest house and yard. In response kdA designed a freestanding, prefabricated guest house on an elevated concrete plinth. The one-bedroom unit’s metallic cladding parallels the cladding on the adjacent house as it hovers over a yard and lap pool, providing much-needed outdoor space for the family.