3916 Lemon Ave, Long Beach, CA 90807

The Drake House | Paul Edward Tay, 1950. One of the architects earliest designs, it displays the sophistication in planning and detailing that he would soon become known for. Current owners enlisted Interstices Architecture to expand the home and rebuild + reorient the garage. Their plan skillfully kept Tays original entryway trellis detail as well as a mature Dracaena Draco tree, both of which cast distinctive shadows across the home in the late afternoon. The garage orientation change allowed space for a front yard lawn and garden area entrance. The other major focus of the addition was a multi-use studio/gallery for the artist owners to create and display large scale artwork. A massive three panel glass pocket door with clerestory window above allows for one wall to disappear completely, opening the space to the private rear patio and pool. The skylit entry foyer with interior planting and tiled fountain wall water feature was also created in the recent addition. Just beyond this space is the original home, signified by the Roman brick fireplace and adjacent wall of built-ins. The layout placed the primary and en-suite bath at the street facing, with two guest bedrooms at the rear end of the house. An open plan living room, dining area, and kitchen encompasses the space in between. With playful variances of height and subtle divisions of space, Tays architecture is ever present. A south facing window wall embraces the patio and pool. A dense row of fiddle leaf fig trees an