Levitt Studio
Green House
Palo Alto, CA
Renovation and addition for an iconic mid-century residence designed by Frank Lloyd Wright protege, Aaron Green.
ARCHITECT
Schwartz and Architecture
ROLE
Lighting Design Lead with Loisos + Ubbelohde
SIZE
3,100 ft2
PRESS
New York Times, On Location: 1/21/25
Architectural Record, Featured Houses: 5/28/25
ArchDaily: 2/12/25
Dezeen: 1/30/25
Central to the redesign is an inventive lighting scheme that highlights the home’s architectural legacy while enriching its comfort and utility. The lighting concept seamlessly links the home’s history with present-day living, utilizing hidden fixtures, layered illumination, and elements inspired by mid-century design. Subtle indirect lighting, integrated into architectural features like slots, niches, and millwork, lightens the roof’s presence and brings out the wood’s natural warmth.
“A couple bought a home in Palo Alto, Calif., that was designed by an associate of Frank Lloyd Wright. Happily, they were also smitten with the two-year renovation.”
New York Times, January 21, 2025
A mix of lighting techniques—from prominent window walls to secluded nooks—guides movement throughout the home and consistently pays tribute to Green’s hallmark themes of open planes and clarity. In areas such as the reimagined family room, once a carport, the lighting maintains the spirit of mid-century style with soft ambient sources and highlights that evoke the refined simplicity of the 1960s, while also supporting today’s standards of efficiency and versatility.
Distinctive rooflines and exposed beams continue to set the tone; new ceiling slots echo the rhythm of the original structure, casting gentle upward light that enlivens both extensions and existing spaces. Where new ceilings meet old, slots give way to coves that softly illuminate original wood surfaces.
With the introduction of angled roofs and high clerestory windows, daylight now fills once dim interiors, while artificial light—through architectural coves and indirect sources—works in concert to foster a shifting, lively atmosphere from day to night.
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