Fab 40: XTEN, Los Angeles

Drawing references from the geometries of the surrounding canyon and hillside slopes, rather than the architecture of the adjacent structure, XTEN’s Diamond House is a bold addition to an existing family house. Laser-cut aluminium panels create the façade’s unusual patterns, glowing from inside at night and looking light, porous and pleasantly reflective during the day.

The dynamic new diamond-form of the extension is also reflected on the site’s retaining walls and concrete rooftop shape, underling the special character of this Santa Monica house. The Los Angeles-based practice has been working at full-speed for the past few months, with a number of commissions reaching completion, including their Hermosa Beach SurfHouse and the Encino-located Sapphire Gallery.



www.XTENarchitecture.com

Amangiri resort, Utah

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Amangiri resort, Utah

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Amangiri resort, Utah

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Amangiri resort bathroom

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Amangiri resort room

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Amangiri resort bedroom

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Best Made Axes

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Axes

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Best Made Axes

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Axe in yellow and brown colour

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Axe in blue and brown colour

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Red and brown colour Axe

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Best Made Axes

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Blackman Cruz store, LA

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Blackman Cruz store, LA

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Blackman Cruz store

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Blackman Cruz store, LA

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Blackman Cruz store, LA

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Blackman Cruz store, LA

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Blackman Cruz store, LA

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Commonwealth Utilities S/S 09 collection

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Commonwealth Utilities S/S 09 collection

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Commonwealth Utilities

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Commonwealth Utilities S/S 09 collection

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Man in black suit

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Commonwealth Utilities S/S 09 collection

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BlackWhite House in Bethesda, Maryland by David Jameson Architects

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BlackWhite House in Bethesda

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BlackWhite House in Bethesda, Maryland

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BlackWhite House in Bethesda, Maryland interior

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Methow Cabin, by Eggleston Farkas Architects, Seattle

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Methow Cabin

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Methow Cabin

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Hotel Erwin, Venice Beach, California

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Hotel Erwin, Venice Beach, California

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Hotel Erwin, Venice Beach, California

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Hotel Erwin, Venice Beach, California bedroom

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Illustration from the Monkey Bar by Barry Blitt, New York

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Illustration from the Monkey Bar

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Interior of the Monkey Bar

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Interior of the Monkey Bar

Illustration for the Monkey Bar by Paul Cox

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Illustration for the Monkey Bar by Paul Cox

My Best Fred, NYC

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My Best Fred, NYC

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Book shelf

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My Best Fred, NYC

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Neal Creek, Hood River by Paul Mckean, Oregon

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Neal Creek, Hood River

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Neal Creek, Hood River by Paul Mckean, Oregon

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Beaker & Flask, Portland

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Beaker & Flask, Portland

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Beaker & Flask, Portland

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Beast, Portland

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Beast, Portland

Naomi from Beast, Portland

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Naomi from Beast, Portland

Laurelhurst Market, Portland

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Laurelhurst Market, Portland

Laurelhurst Market, Portland

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Laurelhurst Market, Portland

Bunks famous sandwiches, Portland

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Bunks famous sandwiches, Portland

Le Pigeon, Portland

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Le Pigeon, Portland

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Le Pigeon, Portland

Viridian Farms, Portland

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Viridian Farms, Portland

Installation by Johanna Grawunder in Robert at MAD, NYC

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Installation by Johanna Grawunder in Robert at MAD, NYC

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Installation by Johanna Grawunder in Robert at MAD, NYC

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Installation by Johanna Grawunder in Robert at MAD, NYC

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Speakeasy - Rye NYC

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Speakeasy - Rye NYC

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Dinning area

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Dinning area

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Dinning room

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Speakeasy - Clover Club, NYC

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Speakeasy - Clover Club, NYC

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Clover Club, NYC

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Clover Club, NYC

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Clover Club, NYC

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Speakeasy - The Violet Hour, Chicago

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Speakeasy - The Violet Hour, Chicago

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The Violet Hour, Chicago

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Speakeasy - The Varnish, LA

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Speakeasy - The Varnish, LA

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The Varnish, LA

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Speakeasy - Bourbon & Branch, San Francisco

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Speakeasy - Bourbon & Branch, San Francisco

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Bourbon & Branch, San Francisco

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Bourbon & Branch

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Bourbon & Branch, San Francisco

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Diamond House, XTEN Architecture, LA

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Diamond House, XTEN Architecture, LA

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Diamond House, XTEN Architecture, LA

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Diamond House

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Diamond House Interior

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Diamond House exterior

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Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).