24 DIGS.NET | 10.15.2021
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R E S T O R E D | X T E N A R C H I T E C T U R E
N LOS ANGELES, good word of mouth plays an import-
ant role in the decision to hire an architect or an interior
designer. Certainly that was the case when it came to suss-
ing out the perfect design-build firm to create this home
in West Hollywood's coveted "bird" streets. The clients,
California natives, dreamed of an elegant space that would
strike the perfect balance between beauty, function and
sustainability. They wanted a team that would understand how to
take full advantage of the hillside site's incredible views, exploit-
ing the flow from indoors to out made possible by Southern
California's temperate climate. A cousin, who was in the midst
of constructing his own hillside home with XTEN Architecture
(http://xtenarchitecture.com/), raved about his experience with
the award-winning firm and urged the clients to connect with
them. "Once we met, it became very clear that our design sensi-
bilities were in perfect alignment," says President and Founding
Partner, Monika Haefelfinger.
Under the leadership of Haefelfinger and Principal Scott Utter-
strom, XTEN Architecture, which has offices in Los Angeles and
Sissach, Switzerland, creates custom residential, cultural and
commercial buildings that meld Switzerland's world renowned
precision with the entrepreneurial spirit of the West Coast.
"Through thoughtful design analysis, we distill the parameters
of the site and the project brief into meticulously structured
plans that are then developed into distinct and sculptural forms,"
Haefelfinger explains, "We create interior and exterior spaces
I
