MELROSE ATELIER
A COLLABORATION WITH PLACE
“Architecture is not just a matter of shelter, nor merely a pretty picture. It must make vivid the laws of the universe that never would have been noticed without it.” —Rudolph Schindler
The AHLEM Melrose atelier continues an ongoing exploration of space—one deeply rooted in AHLEM’s design philosophy and brought to life through a long-term collaboration with architect Maja Bernvill. For this particular site, Bernvill and AHLEM initiate a conversation with the legacy of Austrian-American modernist Rudolph Schindler and the conceptual approach of Japanese artist Hiroshi Sugimoto. The project engages Schindler’s innovative ideas about light, flow and material integrity, as well as Sugimoto’s commingling of the immediate and the eternal, as shared concerns that resonate within AHLEM’s identity.
“This space is not about recreating Schindler—it’s about being in dialogue with his ideas and the Californian context he worked in,” says Bernvill. “AHLEM and I share a belief in precision, restraint and atmosphere, so the design becomes a kind of quiet choreography between form, light and material.”
Like Schindler, AHLEM approaches the built environment as an extension of thought and mood—where material and form are not decorative but expressive. Working in the specific context of Southern California, the project finds harmony between natural light, architectural geometry and human presence.
A Philosophy of Functional Elements
The interiors of AHLEM Melrose are transformed through the use of organic materials preferred by Schindler: wood, metal, plaster, concrete, glass, and steel.
Each material was carefully chosen for its integrity, provenance, and visual presence. Oiled dark American walnut—a California native—grounds the palette with warmth and depth. Marmorino, a lime-based plaster, is hand-finished with savon de Marseille to achieve a radiant, natural sheen. Raw Corten steel, weathered to reveal its powerful inherent properties, forms a protective, textural shield around the space.
In the inner room, a clay-colored wool carpet evokes sun-baked desert terrain, anchoring the space in an earthy hue. Dark walnut paneling lines the lower half of the walls, drawing a tactile horizon line. Above, glass cladding creates a fluid dialogue between transparency and reflection, animating the surfaces and subtly expanding the volume. United in beauty and timelessness, these honest materials cultivate a serene atmosphere of harmony and intention.
