Ray Kappe: 1967 Gould / LaFetra House

Ray Kappe’s 1967 Gould LaFetra House was originally pitched by Ray to Entenza for the CSH program but was turned down. With commanding views of Long Beach, Catalina Island and the Pacific Ocean, this three-story, five-bedroom, four-bathroom house was the first house Ray Kappe experimented with laminated beams. The house’s open graded floor plan, or “modular system,” lends itself to the surrounding views by manipulating the perspective and creating a compositional plane (similar to Japanese ukiyoe) that eliminates the middle ground from view. Kappe distinguished the house’s elevation by using Douglas fir, redwood, mahogany, teak, and glass walls to form rectilinear shape as well as enhance public and private spaces in the house that are characterized by high ceilings in the living and dining room and low ceilings in the bedrooms.

During the renovation, Michael utilized the expertise of Ray Kappe for a few additions that where intended in the original blueprint. Michael’s work includes a pool, outdoor living room and two fireplaces in the interior living room and master suite of the house. Michael placed solar panels in the Gould LaFetra House to optimize the house’s energy for future use and created custom-built light fixtures appropriate to the late 1960’s throughout the house’s interior. To secure the house’s architectural integrity, the house was registered under the Mills Act as a Historic-Cultural Monument.

Fact Sheet:

Links:

Administrative: “8 Questions with Ray Kappe.“ Maxeternity. June 7, 2011. Link

Fenton, Everett, “Home of the Week.”KTLA. February 9, 2009. Web. 25, April 2012. Link

Fenton, Everett, “Home of the Week” Los Angeles Times February, 2009. Link

Fenton, Everret G. “Home of the week, Gould-LaFetra House, main house night view” Chicago Tribune, February 9, 2009. Link

Herman, Valli. “Gould-LeFetra House Sparkles as an Architectural gem in Brentwood” Los Angeles Times: Home of the Week. February 15, 2009. Link

“Inside Design of Mid-Century Contemporary Home in Canna Street Los Angeles” Home Furniture Magazine, May 19th, 2011 .2008. Link

Weinstein, Dave. “Playing With Space: Over a 60-year career, architect Ray Kappe used custom homes to pioneer techniques for mass housing.” Eichler Network 2012, 2. Link

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