Culver City, CA.
Featured in Dwell Magazine
Recipient of multiple AIA and international design awards
Culver City Residence — The Black Barn
Project Details
Location: Culver City, CA.
Scope: Ground-Up Custom Residence
Use: Private Residence
Services Provided:
Demolition
Grading
Construction
Project Management
Design Coordination
Project Overview
Known as “The Black Barn,” this Culver City residence is a ground-up modern home defined by clarity of form, restraint in materiality, and carefully executed architectural details.
Designed by Laney LA, the home pairs a dark, wood-clad exterior with a bright, vaulted interior. Cunningham Construction & Development served as the general contractor, working closely with the architect and homeowners to execute a design that relied on precision, alignment, and structural clarity rather than excess.
The Vision
The architectural intent was unapologetically modern — clean, minimal, and detail-driven. Rather than relying on decorative finishes, the design focused on proportion, shadow, and structure to create interest and warmth.
A defining feature of the home is the asymmetrical gable roof, which shapes both the exterior presence and the interior experience. Inside, vaulted ceilings and open volumes create a sense of lightness, while subtle architectural moves bring depth and precision to the space.
The Work
For the construction team, what made this project unique was the level of modern detailing and structural execution required.
Throughout the home, shadow-line reglets were used at the base of walls in place of traditional baseboards. This detail required careful coordination and exact tolerances, as the visual impact depended entirely on consistency and alignment.
Structurally, the project included several complex elements, including:
The cantilevering of the primary bedroom over the living room’s exterior doors
A cantilevered reading nook extending from the primary bedroom
Tight control of framing to support clean interior transitions and shadow lines
In addition to the structural work, close collaboration with the homeowners was required on finish details — including tile layout and alignment, where small decisions had an outsized visual impact in such a restrained, modern interior.
The success of the project relied on constant communication between architect, builder, and client, and a shared commitment to executing the design exactly as intended.
The Results
The completed home is light-filled, open, and deeply personal. Vaulted ceilings, minimalist finishes, and carefully framed views create spaces that feel both expansive and intimate.
One of the most distinctive features — an outdoor chimney that doubles as a climbing wall — embeds the homeowners’ personal story directly into the architecture, transforming a functional element into a playful and meaningful gesture.
The result is a home that feels expressive, joyful, and enduring — a place designed not just to be admired, but to be lived in.
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