Cutting-Edge Design By Lorcan O’Herlihy In Franklin Village, $1.55M

Author:Philip Ferrato

Not all of L.A.’s condominiums are created equal. Some are unbelievably mundane, and some, like this dwelling on the market at Canyon5 in Franklin Village, are extraordinary. Designed in 2019 by architect Lorcan O’Herlihy, Canyon5 was built by developer Leeor Maciborski under L.A.’s Small Lot Initiative, a 2005 zoning innovation that permits expansive but controlled development on small, underutilized plots. The interiors of the unit—notable for their warm cabinet work and finishes—are by DISC Interiors.

O’Herlihy has mastered an unmistakably edgy but ultimately elegant style in addressing density in multi-unit urban infill. His 2008 Habitat825 project in West Hollywood is a radical 19-unit composition of stacked white, green and black forms and open spaces, that was controversial at the time but still retains a bit of its alien spaceship vibe landed on a quiet WeHo street. For architecture tourists, Habitat825 is also probably the most “seen” of O’Herlihy’s work as it’s located directly adjacent to Rudolph Schindler’s own 1922 paradigm-breaking home.

In contrast, the Canyon5 project is a graceful composition of almost nautical references, with structures echoing ship’s hulls and sails. Without common walls, each of units’ sweeping metal-clad structures allow for maximum privacy; windows and walls of glass carefully frame the views; the ribbing of the structure is expressed inside and out. Each of the five two-bedroom, three-bathroom 1,677 square foot dwellings is set on a cedar-clad two-car garage/storage podium and extends upwards two levels, topped by a private roof deck with spectacular views across the low-rise neighborhood and the Hollywood Hills. 

This is an outstanding opportunity to acquire and live in a work of architecture by one of LA’s best practitioners, represented by veteran agents Rob Kallick and Mary Regal of the Take Sunset team at Compass. Offered at $1.549M, 1826 Canyon Drive will be open this Sunday, February 23, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. Visit the listing for additional images and details.