Lovingly nicknamed KuKu Farms by owners Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, this Beverly Hills residence rests on 6 acres of land and consists of a main house, entertainment barn, and barbeque pavilion. Designed by renowned American architect Howard Backen, founder of AD100 firm Backen & Gillam Architects, this LA farmhouse is a modern take on a rustic design.
This custom-built home was blueprinted with an emphasis on sustainability and environmentally-friendly engineering—photovoltaics span the length of the main structure and produce more power than the property requires. Reclaimed oak wood floors, board-form concrete walls, 19-foot sliding glass windows, and exposed wood beam ceilings are just some of the features that earned this home its spot as June’s Architectural Digest cover story.
“We wanted a home, not an estate,” Kunis insists, describing the six-acre property that now accommodates a main house connected to a guesthouse/entertainment barn, as well as a freestanding barbecue pavilion.”
Architectural Digest, Cover Story (June 2021)
California Energy Designs was the mechanical engineer for this project, providing HVAC and Plumbing system designs that adhered to the couple’s eco-friendly approach, incorporating on-premise solar power generation, while remaining robust enough to circulate the required energy & resources throughout the various structures. Through meaningful collaboration with the project architects and construction teams, our team of talented engineers designed mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems solutions for the specific needs of each section of the unique Beverly Hills residence.
Creative Engineering Approach
The stunning residence infused a modern perspective into the rustic aesthetic of a barn/farmhouse, which presented a number of unique engineering challenges—the tall exposed wood ceilings and full-length glass windows made our team get creative with the ductwork and airflow design. With extensive use of materials that can retain heat in sunlight, the project also called for an innovative approach to cooling the in an energy-efficient manner that would adhere to Kutcher and Kunis’ sustainability goals.
“The house is entirely powered by photovoltaics, concealed from view above the expansive porch … the house’s solar array produces significantly more power than the property requires.”
Architectural Digest, Cover Story (June 2021)
Modern Solutions, Rustic Aesthetic
The entertainment barn posed a unique challenge, with two sides of the structure covered in floor-to-ceiling windows, our engineering team had to determine how to account for the extra heat produced by the glass by assessing the zone’s ventilation, temperature, and airflow. For the barbeque pavilion and the pool, located a short distance from the main structure, the challenge was designing a compact, open-air, climate-controlled zone for hot summer cookouts and relaxing after a cool swim.
“Backen, of course, is a master of the
so-called modern farmhouse … The Kutcher/Kunis residence is a testament to his alchemical handling of reclaimed wood, board-form concrete, and glass.”Architectural Digest, Cover Story (June 2021)
Collaborative Methods
The A-List actor couple were involved in the decision-making process for many of the details of the project, a level of methodical care that truly shows in the project results, having caught the eye not only of Architectural Digest, but of the public at large, including much attention on social media where the modern farmhouse has garnered over 200,000 likes on Architectural Digest’s Instagram.
“We talked about everything from beam sizes to the details of the cross bracing to the junctures of the wood planks & concrete. These are not the kinds of conversations we have with every client,” … “They were out there with us, as genuine members of the design team.”
Architectural Digest, Cover Story (June 2021)
The client, Ashton Kutcher, and California Energy Designs CEO, Gabriel Gagnon, on the project site.
“The soul of the Kutcher/Kunis residence remains tied to the meticulous planning and fanatical attention to detail that the homeowners and their designers lavished on every aspect of the project.”
Architectural Digest, Cover Story (June 2021)
Our Work
Our firm, California Energy Designs, provided HVAC & Plumbing Design solutions for the Backen & Gillam Architects-led residential project. For more information about our design solutions, please see our “Services” page.
Additional Coverage
See additional coverage of the Kutcher/Kunis farmhouse ‘KuKu Farms’ on Architectural Digest, CNN, Fox Business, and People Magazine. Photos by Douglas Friedman/AD.
