In Los Angeles County, a former relay station has been transformed into a unique event space and residence, blending Brutalist architecture with innovative design and environmental sensitivity. The structure, originally built in 1972 for the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company, served as a communications hub for microwave signals before falling into disuse in the 1990s.
John Jennings, an architect and co-founder of DRY Design, discovered the imposing concrete building and its adjacent 75-foot steel tower during a nighttime hike in the Santa Monica Mountains. Captivated by its fortress-like appearance, Jennings and his wife, landscape architect Sasha Tarnopolsky, purchased the 2,000-square-foot property in 2005 for $950,000, envisioning a creative redevelopment project.
Their initial plan aimed to respect the building’s geometric form and preserve the tower, incorporating a central garden within the structure and adding separate residential buildings nearby. However, county planners initially demanded the tower be shortened to 35 feet, the residential height limit, causing delays. Jennings later found that the tower held a special use permit with no expiration, allowing its full height to remain intact.
Ultimately, the couple abandoned plans for additional residences, opting instead to create a large, open living space beneath 15-foot-high ceilings within the original concrete shell. Renovation posed significant challenges, requiring specialized contractors to cut through walls up to three feet thick using diamond-coated wire and blades, followed by heavy machinery to remove the concrete slabs.
Completed in 2024, the project blends the industrial past with natural elements. A sunken gravel courtyard with an indoor pond occupies the former switching equipment room, while an operable skylight inspired by artist James Turrell opens to the sky. The tower’s weathered exterior remains, intentionally contrasting with the openness of the space below. The home is heated by radiant floors warmed through rooftop solar thermal panels, which also feed surplus heat into a pool constructed from a repurposed shipping container that extends dramatically over the hillside.
Strongly mindful of wildfire risk, the couple implemented extensive fire-resistant measures following the 2025 Palisades fire that nearly reached their property line. The concrete structure is supplemented with double- and triple-glazed windows, non-combustible landscaping, and an ember-resistant buffer zone cleared of flammable materials. They maintain pumps and hoses for active fire defense during high-risk periods.
The outdoor environment has undergone significant restoration, with earthworks reshaping berms to open views of the ocean and support native plant growth. Tarnopolsky has nurtured a garden that favors natural propagation, with wildflower species reemerging spontaneously after rains. Wildlife including toads, quail, scrub jays, and ravens have made the site their home, contributing to a diverse ecosystem surrounding the tower.
Jennings and Tarnopolsky use the site as both workspace and weekend retreat, with overnight accommodations in a nearby converted shipping container. The couple often climbs the tower to observe sweeping views of the 101 freeway cutting through the landscape below. While embracing the role of temporary stewards, they hope future residents will appreciate and maintain the distinctive blend of rugged infrastructure and cultivated habitat they have created.