CH+D Awards Extra: Hollywood Hills Modern
Author:Lindsey ShookThis month, we announced the winners of our highly prized CH+D Awards. Now, get the inside scoop from all the winners!
Culver City-based architect Zoltan E. Pali won a big award for a big project—CH+D Award for Residential Architecture for Residential Architecture (More Than 3,000 Sq. Ft.). We contacted the Pali to find out his SoCal loves and hates.
1. What’s your favorite local shop for unique design items for your projects?
I don’t have a favorite “shop”—I don’t really like to shop. I really like classic modernist stuff, I don’t need to go shopping for it. My clinets like other things and they usually go shopping on their own. I try to guide them, but they rarely get all the things that I really like. And in the end I am good with it, because it is their place and their life and they should be happy! My job is to create that space that they can happily inhabit!
2. Which design trend you are ready to see go away?
Anything that is over-textured, over-formed, overly decorative and is trying too hard. Basically I hate all trends, although I do get a kick out of it! I am also sick and tired of reality design shows—someone please stop this!
3. What’s one detail about your project that you love but most people overlook?
How the sunshading element is assembled. In other words, few people recognize its complexity. It looks so simple, largely because it was executed so well.
4. If you could spend a week working alongside any architect or interior designer (dead or alive) who would it be?
One week would not be enough. One can never learn enough in a week, unless you are learning some dumb ass thing like a computer program or the newest gizmo on the market. However, when it comes to design and architecture (and even if I was given only a week) without even a blink of an eye I would choose Louis Kahn [dead] or Peter Zumthor [alive].
5. When you found out you won, who was the first person you called to share the news with?
Judit Fekete, my partner. After that I contacted my client [and friend], Mauricio Oberfeld [he also built the house and is the best!]
