Goodman Residence, Venice, Calif.

1 of 3

Jim Bartsch

The wall of books in this Venice, Calif., house creates a visual… Read More The wall of books in this Venice, Calif., house creates a visual balance with the view to the garden outside.

Jim Bartsch

Architect Trevor Abramson had the maple shelving recessed into t… Read More Architect Trevor Abramson had the maple shelving recessed into the wall so that it becomes a part of the room's architecture.

Jim Bartsch

The shelves add an element of color and texture that's partially… Read More The shelves add an element of color and texture that's partially visible from the street.

Architect Trevor Abramson and his client for this Venice, Calif., house are both confirmed book lovers. “It’s very important to bring books into the heart of a house,” Abramson says. “Besides the written word, which of course is a treasure, they add visual warmth to a space and are wonderful for absorbing sound.”

In the home’s living room/dining room/library, he designed a nearly floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall shelving system that unites and anchors the space. The maple shelves are recessed and cantilevered using hidden steel supports, so they become an integral part of the wall rather than just an added-on element. A rolling ladder lets the owner reach any book she desires. “This detail takes something that’s such a common element, reinvents it, and has it become a larger part of the composition in its functionality,” said a juror. “It’s a piece of art on the wall in this room.”

Entrant/Architect: Abramson Teiger Architects, Culver City, Calif.; Builder: Oliver Construction Co., Thousand Oaks, Calif.; Structural engineer: Sigma Design, Glendale, Calif.; Living space: 2,878 square feet; Site: 0.1 acre; Construction cost: Withheld; Photographer: Jim Bartsch.