Luxury Architecture in California

Homebuyers will come to Rolling Hills Estates to see the award-winning single-family homes, but they will stay for the impeccable views of the greater Los Angeles area — and the design that maximizes them.

At last year’s Gold Nugget® Awards, Robert Hidey Architects received a collection of recognition and awards for the firm’s versatility. Sweeping the show, the firm left with two grand awards and six awards of merit.

Receiving the grand award in both the Single-Family Detached Home category and the Best Indoor/Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home, the homes at Rolling Hills Estates offer thoughtfully designed floor plans with unparalleled views.

A Long Time in the Making

Robert Hidey Architects has been involved with this project since the initial land planning stages with a previous developer in the early 2000s. Their involvement continued when The Chadmar Group purchased the land several years ago to advance development. In 2017, Toll Brothers purchased the 31 Product B lots from The Chadmar Group, which would soon lead to an award-winning product. There were three products available and 16 custom lots; Chadmar built two products, and Toll Brothers built the third. Robert Hidey Architects began the project with a specific vision of what the land would look like, and Toll Brothers incorporated elements of their own brand’s style in the building process. Ultimately, incorporating the vision of multiple builders would create a more unique community with a diverse product line. The homes built by the Toll Brothers blend together with those built by The Chadmar Group, and each home plan offers a number of different elevations. The differentiation of architectural styles and commitment to the project made the combined effort a successful one.

“The collaboration and teamwork of a successful project is always something to reflect upon with a sense of pride,” stated David Dilettoso, Senior Project Director with Robert Hidey Architects. “This project site offered many opportunities and I feel that the team as a whole embraced those opportunities by designing homes that address current lifestyles and seamless connections to the outdoors.”

Designing for the Destination

The site itself offered immense opportunity for creating a unique project in a striking landscape. The goal in designing the project was to maximize the qualities already provided: stunning views and green space.

Connecting homeowners with nature was an important part of the project’s plan. With views of downtown Los Angeles, the San Gabriel Mountains, and the Rolling Hills Golf Course, the sights are stunning. The homes were designed so that each would offer at least one of these views. Terraced paths throughout the neighborhood further emphasize a connection to nature.

“There were a lot of advantages in our favor as designers with this project because it offered such excellent opportunities,” said Dilettoso. “It’s exciting when you get to work on a project like this with such a remarkable site.”

During the early phases of the project, planning requirements pushed the team’s creativity in order to maintain the architectural character that was key to the vision. The guidelines for this project drew on neighboring communities’ rural features, promoting elements of California-ranch styles. This guideline was in

tended to create a more natural blend between the area’s old and new communities.

 

According to Dilettoso, including in- door-outdoor living spaces was essential to the design’s practicality in the Southern California climate. “The continual goal is to bring the outdoors in, so that residents can enjoy the enviable weather.”

On the days when it is too hot to go outside, homeowners at Rolling Hills can use their massive windows to enjoy the views. The award-winning factor of the design was the celebration of grandness, which was accomplished by creating the impression of limitless space through the use of high-volume ceilings and expansive windows and doors. When you enter the homes, there is a clear view to the glass windows in the back that opens up the homes to the views of the landscape beyond. “By introducing expansive glazing along with volume ceilings, we were able to fill the homes with natural light while framing the remarkable views in the distance,” Dilettoso explained.

The 31 homes range from 4,500-4,900 square feet, each offering an array of unique features; one such example is the pair of grand staircases welcoming homebuyers at the front entrance in Plan 4.

These homes are targeted to an established buyer or family that knows what they want in a community. Buyer options within each plan allow for even more customization so that the home really resonates with the buyer to whom it belongs.