Habitat 15: clever Predock Frane design tweaks the townhouse model

By David Hay

Habitat 15, a new town house complex on Detroit Street in Los Angeles, has 27 windows of differing sizes, all placed in a seemingly random pattern across the 80-foot-long front facade. The effect is akin to a giant wall of flat-panel TVs, and according to Santa Monica architects Hadrian Predock and John Frane, the facade pays homage to the world of movies. "The building is in Hollywood after all," Predock said.