Located in City West, a rapidly redeveloping neighborhood just north of downtown Los Angeles, Be DTLA’s (formerly known as Sofia) articulated contemporary design has ties to the existing architectural context. Negotiating the sloping 4 acre site required complex shoring to accommodate two levels of subterranean parking with seven stories of double podium residential and commercial above. 606 “ground up” apartments range from studios to 3-bedroom units. In addition, 42 historic rehab units are located on site in a 1920’s medical office building, which is the original design of AC Martin. Emphasis was placed on pedestrian connectivity with significant landscaped courtyards and paseos. 26,000 SF of retail space including a grocery store and a public plaza facing 6th Street add to the list of amenities including a two-level fitness center, clubhouse, rooftop pool/spa terrace and even a “speak-easy”.

Plans called for the redevelopment of a challenging underutilized parcel in the Historic Core of Downtown Los Angeles. Pinched between a large-scale parking structure and the historic Saint Vibiana Cathedral, the City’s first Catholic cathedral (recently transformed into an events venue), STOA achieves a density of 255 DU/AC with 237 apartment units and 3,800 SF of resident-serving retail. The impressive site yield was made possible by proposing a cost-effective Type III Modified Construction where the elevated concrete podium is divided into two levels with an additional five levels of wood framing above. Three levels of subterranean parking were required to fully park the site. The contemporary urban design is well-integrated with the diversely styled adjacent buildings by playing off the material palettes of each structure. An expansive 15,000 sf roof terrace provides a true “Oasis within the City”, complete with landscaped gardens, passive lounge areas, barbeques and a sun terrace with swimming pool. At ground level, residents have full access to a fitness center and clubhouse which opens up to a courtyard and pedestrian paseo shared with the cathedral.

Echo Park’s iconic Taix French Restaurant site will be transformed into a new mixed-use development. While embracing the neighborhood’s rich architectural history and progressive building design changes, our redesign introduces our fresh take on this unique development by incorporating architecture that is rooted in geographical and cultural context. The new design thoughtfully plans to engage and support the surrounding community in terms of building scale and vernacular.

This six-story buildings will feature 170 market-rate apartment units, including 24 affordable units, in addition to a 13,000 SF of street-fronting commercial space and basement parking for 220 vehicles. The commercial space takes advantage of the busy foot traffic of the Sunset Boulevard and Resevoir Street while the paseo creates a welcoming environment for residents and visitors alike.

Featuring 695 units with 24,900 SF of retail space, this development’s impressive scale is initiating the gentrification of the surrounding area. Located less than one mile south of Hollywood and Highland, the project is geared toward younger creative class tenants. AVA Hollywood features a wide variety of social gathering places throughout the property set amid bold supergraphics. An exceptionally wide pedestrian-friendly sidewalk fronting busy Santa Monica Boulevard provides safe and comfortable access to an exciting array of shopping and dining opportunities. Residents and their guests are sure to spend quality time at numerous indoor and outdoor amenity areas including the roof terrace overlooking the outdoor lounge and spacious pool deck below. AC Martin is the architect of record and Koning Eizenberg is the design architect.

Located within the Hollywood community of the Los Angeles area, this new mixed-use development is proposed to be a seven-story building and will include 276 residential units - 13 of which would be affordable housing for ‘very low income’ households - in addition to approximately 24,000 SF of neighborhood-serving commercial retail and restaurant spaces and 312 parking spaces. Alternatively, an approximately 27,000 SF grocery store could be constructed in lieu of the proposed retail and restaurant uses and 318 parking spaces.

This 115-unit mixed-use project, located in Culver City at the prominent intersection of Washington and National Boulevards, is one of the City’s first approved transit -oriented developments. Featuring 44,000 SF of retail on the ground floor, Access is the first of the “catalyst” projects to spark development along the new Metro rail line.

This market-rate project includes a street-level public plaza that is significant to the planning of the community. In addition to the high-level amenities offered to the residents, it received LEED Silver certification. Sustainable features of the integrated building design outperform current energy cost savings requirements by over 29%. Some of these features include cool roofs, stormwater infiltration planters and photovoltaic panels.

Currently under construction and located directly adjacent to the forthcoming Metro Station at Wilshire Boulevard and La Brea Avenue, Wilshire La Brea seeks to blend the boundary between residential and hospitality by combining the lifestyle of a 125-key boutique hotel and an attitude-enriched 121 branded residential enclave. 

It is designed as an eight-story podium-style building with five-levels of Type III over three-levels of Type I construction with subterranean parking levels. While the retails on pedestrian-friendly street level are easily accessibly for public users and residents alike, spacious areas of the upper floors provide outdoor amenities including rooftop pool, bar, cabanas and lounge areas that take in the views in all direction from the site. 

Designed in collaboration with design architect, Morris Adjmi Architects, the building is intended to pay homage to the cherished Art Deco architecture found in the surrounding area in a contemporary fashion.

One Metro West is a mixed-use community that brings multifamily residences, creative office space, retail, a park, and an event plaza to Costa Mesa. Located on 15 acres in the northwest corner of the city, adjacent to the 405 Freeway, this development will become the new northern gateway to Costa Mesa.

1,057 residential units distributed across three buildings with distinctive architecture feature an “Equinox”-style 24/7 fitness center, yoga and aerobic studio and wellness room with oxygen stations and cryotherapy, multiple rooftop amenity terraces and open spaces for recreating and lounging. Three resort-style, saltwater swimming pools, including a rooftop junior Olympic-sized pool, all with spas and cabana areas are positioned throughout the master plan. The project also features a 1.7-acre park and event plaza designed to hold intimate musical performances, outdoor theatrical productions, community-sponsored meetings and celebrations. A 25,000 SF “jewel box” creative office with a roof garden and event space within the park is complimented by 6,000 SF of specialty retail.

The architectural character of One Metro West is designed to be timeless. As the project endures, the natural weathering, evolving landscape growth and resident adaptations will rusticate and naturally reveal the true nature of the building – improving the project and community over time. Key components of this elegant but contextual-based design are its clean lines, natural materials and complementary color palettes. The interplay between indoor and outdoor living is witnessed in its variety of social gathering places and roof top terraces. The architecture, location and programming of the spaces invites both the employee or resident to explore the surrounding area, while still creating an intimate place to work or call home.

The Jordan Downs Area H development proposed by Bridge Housing consists of the construction of 80 affordable dwelling units within the Jordan Downs Specific Plan Area in South Central Los Angeles. The Irving Gill influenced, five story podium building will feature a combination of unit plans ranging from one- to four-bedroom units arranged around two large courtyards with passive and active uses for children and adults. The new development will replace substandard residential units built in the early 1940’s and will provide an updated and safe environments for families and young adults in the area.

‘The Brine,’ named after a pickle factory that was previously on the site,  will occupy two-thirds of a block in East LA and will be comprised of multiple buildings. Along with the relocation and re-purposing of three historically significant structures to be used as a pediatric clinic and single-family dwelling units, the five-story building includes 97 units of permanent supportive housing, a manager’s unit, facilities for a social services provider, local grocery store, health clinics, medical offices as well as a separate at-grade two-story parking structure. 

With several significant goals in mind, our design aspires to create a safe and secure residential environment for a wide range of community members in critical need of housing in the Northeast Los Angeles while providing commercial and industrial spaces to improve local economy and workforce, especially for the local residents.