Early renderings of a private mountain retreat located in Utah. Designed to maintain a modest profile that disappears into the site's topography, this home opens generously at the rear of the property to embrace the surrounding mountain views.
Full-height glass doors throughout, an extensive wellness wing, and entertaining lounge – complete with bowling alley – are highlights of this chalet-to-be.
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#KOVAC#MountainModern#SkiRetreat#UtahArchitecture#ModernChalet#MountainArchitecture#ModernResidential#SiteDrivenDesign#TopographicDesign#DisappearIntoTheLandscape#ArchitectDesigned#HighEndResidential#FullHeightGlass#IndoorOutdoorLiving#WellnessWing#LuxuryRetreat#EntertainingAtHome#BowlingAlleyDesign#ContemporaryArchitecture#ModernMountainHome#GlassAndStone#CraftedSpaces#QuietArchitecture#PrivateResidence#DesignInContext#Renderings#ArchitectureInProgress#AlpineModernism#LuxuryChalet#FutureBuild
A continuous clerestory and generous glazing draw daylight deep into the main living area of this in-progress project, softening its material palette and emphasizing the calm rhythm of structure, volume, and view.
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#KOVAC#NaturalLight#LightAndShadow#ModernResidential#CaliforniaArchitecture#QuietArchitecture#ArchitectDesigned#MaterialHonesty#WarmMinimalism#LivingSpace#ArchitecturalDetails#DesignInContext#LightFilledSpaces#TactileSpaces#ContemporaryArchitecture#ModernCaliforniaHome#CraftedSpaces#IndoorOutdoorLiving#CalmArchitecture
Designed for @courteneycoxofficial , this outdoor firepit sits between pool and ocean, welcoming the horizon as part of the gathering.
It’s a space for evenings with family and friends spent taking in the fresh salt air and peaceful views.
Photos by @simonuptonpics
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#KOVAC#MalibuArchitecture#CoastalLiving#ModernResidential#CaliforniaArchitecture#OutdoorLiving#FirepitDesign#OceanViewHome#IndoorOutdoorLiving#PoolTerrace#QuietArchitecture#ArchitectDesigned#HighEndResidential#ModernCaliforniaHome#TactileSpaces#WarmMinimalism#DesignInContext#ArchitectureAndLandscape#ContemporaryArchitecture#CraftedSpaces
Construction is well under way on one of our first fire rebuild projects in the Pacific Palisades, serving as an important milestone in a longer process of recovery and renewal.
What began as a conversation around resilience has become something more tangible: the opportunity to rebuild with greater care, intention, and long-term thinking.
As more projects move into permitting and construction, we remain committed to supporting our community not just in rebuilding what was lost, but in shaping what comes next.
General Contractor: @formagc
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#KOVAC#PacificPalisades#PalisadesRebuild#PostFireRebuild#RebuildingCommunity#ArchitectureInProgress#UnderConstruction#ResilientDesign#ModernResidential#CaliforniaArchitecture#SiteDrivenDesign#HillsideArchitecture#DesignInContext#ArchitectDesigned#CommunityFirst#RecoveryAndRenewal#FutureFocusedDesign#ModernCaliforniaHome#HighEndResidential#BuildingForward#ThoughtfulDesign#CraftedSpaces#ArchitectureAndLandscape#QuietArchitecture#LongTermThinking
At Serra Barn, the pool terrace is designed for long afternoons outdoors.
Set within the canyon landscape, this residence offers a place to gather, lounge, and move easily between water, shade, and open air, capturing the rhythms of California living in a way that feels both relaxed and intentional
Photography @larsfrazerphoto
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#KOVAC#SerraBarn#MalibuArchitecture#CaliforniaLiving#ModernResidential#OutdoorLiving#PoolTerrace#IndoorOutdoorLiving#QuietArchitecture#SiteDrivenDesign#ArchitectureAndLandscape#WarmMinimalism#ModernCaliforniaHome#NaturalMaterials#CraftedSpaces#ContemporaryArchitecture#HighEndResidential#DesignInContext#CalmArchitecture#TactileSpaces
At our collaboration with Interior Decorator @michaelsmithinc on his Holmby Hills residence, each space was carefully crafted to encapsulate both precision and warmth. In the kitchen, clean lines, natural light, and carefully chosen materials support the rhythms of daily life and allow the space to function thoughtfully and practically in equal measure
Photography by @a_gaut
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#KOVAC#HolmbyHills#ModernResidential#CaliforniaArchitecture#KitchenDesign#InteriorCollaboration#MichaelSSmith#QuietArchitecture#WarmMinimalism#MaterialHonesty#ArchitectDesigned#HighEndResidential#DesignInContext#NaturalMaterials#ContemporaryArchitecture#CraftedSpaces#ModernCaliforniaHome#TactileSpaces#LightFilledSpaces#ResidentialDesign
"Mountain Modern:" a look at early renderings of a private ski retreat located in Utah. Designed to maintain a modest profile that disappears into the site's topography, this home opens generously at the rear of the property to embrace the surrounding mountain views.
Full-height glass doors throughout, an extensive wellness wing, and entertaining lounge – complete with bowling alley – are highlights of this chalet-to-be. Stay tuned for more.
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#KOVAC#MountainModern#SkiRetreat#UtahArchitecture#ModernChalet#MountainArchitecture#ModernResidential#SiteDrivenDesign#TopographicDesign#DisappearIntoTheLandscape#ArchitectDesigned#HighEndResidential#FullHeightGlass#IndoorOutdoorLiving#WellnessWing#LuxuryRetreat#EntertainingAtHome#BowlingAlleyDesign#ContemporaryArchitecture#ModernMountainHome#GlassAndStone#CraftedSpaces#QuietArchitecture#PrivateResidence#DesignInContext#Renderings#ArchitectureInProgress#AlpineModernism#LuxuryChalet#FutureBuild
A series of skylights brings daylight deep into the interior, shifting throughout the day and animating the stair as both passage and pause – it’s a reminder that some of the most impactful design moves are also the quietest ones
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#KOVAC#NaturalLight#SkylightDesign#LightAndShadow#ModernResidential#CaliforniaArchitecture#QuietArchitecture#ArchitectDesigned#MaterialHonesty#WarmMinimalism#StairDesign#ArchitecturalDetails#DesignInContext#LightFilledSpaces#TactileSpaces#ContemporaryArchitecture#ModernCaliforniaHome#CraftedSpaces#IndoorOutdoorLiving#CalmArchitecture
“For many people, the air they breathe indoors is more polluted than the air outside.”
What role does nature play in our wellbeing?
For husband and wife Michael Kovac and Karina Maher, the answer comes from two different but deeply connected perspectives. Michael, founder of @kovac.studio , has spent decades designing warm, modern homes that respond to landscape, light and the environment around them. Karina, a pediatrician, brings a medical lens to the conversation, with a focus on children’s health, environmental exposures and the everyday choices that shape long-term wellness.
Together, they explore how the homes we build, the materials we choose and the way we live can all contribute to healthier lives.
Listen in as Vince, Michael and Karina discuss designing homes with nature in mind, the hidden health impacts of indoor environments, and why architecture and medicine both have a role to play in wellbeing.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
After many years of working in the Pacific Palisades community, we are deeply engaged in helping construct its future and have officially broken ground on one of several fire rebuilds.
This home, lost in the last year's fires, is now beginning a new life. Its design steps carefully into the hillside, using a series of interlocking volumes to bring light back onto the site while maintaining privacy from the street.
Rather than rebuilding exactly what was there, we approached this as an opportunity to create something more resilient and better connected to its surroundings: spaces that open toward canyon and sky, organized around outdoor rooms that invite daily life to extend beyond its walls.
We’re excited for the future and what this means for all those who were – and still are –affected by the Pacific Palisades and Eaton Fires. We will continue to share updates as Los Angeles moves forward, and this home moves from foundation to frame.
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#KOVAC#PacificPalisades#PalisadesRebuild#PostFireRebuild#BreakingGround#ModernResidential#CaliforniaArchitecture#HillsideArchitecture#SiteDrivenDesign#ResilientDesign#ArchitectureInProgress#UnderConstruction#QuietArchitecture#HighEndResidential#DesignInContext#ModernCaliforniaHome#ArchitectDesigned#TopographicDesign#IndoorOutdoorLiving#RebuildingCommunity
A glimpse into the future – we can't wait to see how our Interwoven House site continues to evolve into its final vision.
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#KOVAC#InterwovenHouse#ArchitectureInProgress#ConstructionToCompletion#SiteToStructure#DesignDevelopment#ModernResidential#CaliforniaArchitecture#QuietArchitecture#ArchitectDesigned#SiteDrivenDesign#HillsideArchitecture#RenderToReality#FutureBuild#TopographicDesign#CraftedSpaces#ContemporaryArchitecture#ModernCaliforniaHome#HighEndResidential#ArchitectureProcess#UnderConstruction#MaterialHonesty#DesignInContext#BuildingInPlace#ArchitecturalVision
Rebuilding in the Pacific Palisades is personal: for homeowners, neighbors, and everyone working to bring stability back to a changed landscape.
We’re sharing a brief look at the aftermath of the January 2025 Palisades Fire, which burned for 24 days and impacted Pacific Palisades, Topanga, and Malibu. The scale of loss is hard to absorb, and it’s why rebuild work carries real responsibility.
FORMA Construction is honored to be part of this effort, our first project in Los Angeles as we expand beyond the Bay Area. We’re committed to showing up consistently, documenting progress transparently, and recognizing the many hands involved in moving a project like this forward.
Our amazing project team:
Architecture: @kovac.studio
Interior Design: @nelson.davis.studio
Video: @saulestrada.studio
Project Manager: Angela Logan, FORMA Construction
For a deeper look at the work underway, including excavation, shoring, and the long road of entitlements, read the full project highlight on our recent journal entry. Link In bio.
#PalisadesFire #FireRebuild #PacificPalisadesFire #ResidentialConstruction #FORMAconstruction
