Commissioned by Dr. Edward Lee in 1957, this two-story mid-century modern residence overlooks the Silver Lake Reservoir from one of Los Angeles's most architecturally distinguished streets. Gilbert Leong designed the 3,200 square foot house during a period of significant racial integration in the neighborhood, just three years after his nearby commission for Judge Delbert Wong faced neighborhood protests when the first Chinese-American judge appointed on the mainland moved to the same block. The house was conceived for sophisticated entertaining and designed to capitalize on its elevated site's commanding reservoir views.
The residence showcases Leong's distinctive residential vocabulary through carefully orchestrated architectural elements that blur interior and exterior boundaries. A decorative wood and glass screen serves as a room divider, while iron windows frame panoramic vistas of the water below. Flat panel wood doors with custom hardware punctuate the interior spaces, which are illuminated by integrated soffit lighting throughout. The master suite features built-in closets and a dedicated dressing area, opening to an en-suite bath and private deck that captures treetop and mountain views. A second half-kitchen suggests the house was programmed for large-scale social gatherings.
