Indoor/Outdoor Bathroom

Southern California architect David Hertz has a flair for designing spaces with a distinctly East Asian feel. One of the finest examples of his East-meets-West design is his own poolside bathroom.

On each side of the room is a sliding shoji screen, allowing the room to be completely open or completely closed off. Having the bathroom open to the outside enables the homeowner to come home from the beach and walk right into the shower without having to go through the house.

The translucent sink mounted on the wall is literally a work of art. Designed by Arne Jacobsen, the sink and shower fixtures are in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Lights under the sink and along the bamboo walkway illuminate the area at night, creating a tranquil evening setting.

The walls are made of Syndecrete tiles that were placed asymmetrically to accentuate the texture and shadows. A detachable hand-held shower extends all the way outside to the bamboo-shaded walkway.

The outdoors and the indoors are seamlessly integrated with the rock and stone path in the surrounding landscape that continues right to the inside of the bathroom. The only difference is that the floor in the bathroom is heated by a network of tubes that run underneath.