From an early age, the blending of culture and aesthetics was innate to her. The food she ate, the art she was exposed to, and the traditions her family upheld uniquely positioned her to understand balance in hybridity. When beginning her new life with her partner Nate Pontious in Texas, Ishizuka sought to incorporate the open and airy aesthetic of California with her individual sense of Asian minimalism. A close friend of co-principal Amanda Gunawan, Ishizuka entrusted the project of her ranch house remodel to OWIU.

In many ways, the Pontious Ranch House is an exemplary illustration of OWIU’s philosophy in their signature “omakase” design process. Creativity, intimacy, respect for the client, and trust all come together in this process to manifest a truly collaborative vision. Having developed a relationship with Ishizuka over the course of years, OWIU was able to design a representation of the client’s history into her new home as if creating a dimensional portrait. In remodeling the classic Texas ranch house originally built in 2018, OWIU worked closely with the original owner Michael Contello to preserve the essential structure of the sprawling property while invigorating it with contemporary and personal touches.

Together they developed an organic design process that quickly developed past aesthetics and grew into a conversation around history, regional and practical design, and the power of preservation. Amanda Gunawan recalls “We learned from each other and respected our mutual expertise – it was beautiful and meaningful to have the original builders have a hand in the next iteration of their creation.” Wanting to reflect the open and meditative color palette of Texan fields against the breezy architectural forms common to California, OWIU incorporated subtle gradients of earthy white and cream to reflect the tonal and nuanced landscape of Dripping Falls.

The colors reflect the immediate landscape, creating an unbroken conversation between the exterior and interior of the Pontious Ranch House. The blurred exterior/interior theme is continued throughout the home in various elements. The kitchen was always designed to be both a personal and work space for Ishizuka’s viral takes on wellness recipes. The kitchen was designed to reflect the textures of the Texan landscape. Partially perched on natural rock and then flowing into a smooth marble, the kitchen island naturally drops down to extend to a wood dining table finished with smooth round edges.

The sheer spectrum of textures in this one continuous piece reads as a timeline for Ishizuka’s own trajectory. Connected to the kitchen is the living room surrounded by wood-framed windows on every side. Hard corners were smoothed over to create rounded and soft silhouettes throughout the room, reminiscent of adobe-style homes. The signature in this room is a round cut-out between the entryway wall and living room–creating an immediate stylistic statement and allowing light to pass throughout the home.

A marble shelf was added to bisect the circle and add display space. A sincere amalgamation of California and Texas design and a reflection of a friendship built over the years, The Pontious Ranch House is a sentimental and unique addition to the OWIU portfolio. Primarily known for their work in Los Angeles and Asia, their recent work throughout the United States expands their vision and palette.