Amid faux-Mediterranean casitas, Craftsman cottages, and nondescript bungalows, the Translators’ House in Culver City, California, quietly evokes a certain poetry. The couple asked for a two-story house that would feel open to the street yet still provide privacy. Photo © Michael WellsA long L-shaped wall of board-formed concrete—the ground floor’s organizational spine and the structure partially visible on the facade—leads down a passageway toward the main living spaces. Photo © Michael WellsThe concrete spine ends in airy, luminous communal spaces that flow together: a clean-lined kitchen, Western-style dining area, and high-ceilinged living room. The living room has multiple exposures.