Pat O'Neill is a world-renowned independent filmmaker and installation artist who has been a vital force in West Coast independent filmmaking since the 1960s. Having relocated to a craftsman home in Pasadena after many years in Laurel Canyon, he needed a new studio building. This structure provides 1800 square feet of uninterrupted interior space, plus an additional 600 square feet of exterior work area under a large trellised porch. Pre-engineered and prefabricated steel trusses allowed clear spans and a simple, wide-open appearance on the inside. The exterior is clad in unpainted vertical redwood siding. Oversized doors allow for moving large equipment and materials. North-facing skylights were placed asymmetrically to vary the framed views and modulate the diffusion of indirect sunlight across the space.

An industrial building with a few deviations from the norm seemed to us an approach consistent with the artist’s own practice.

Photography by Josh White.