We care- a lot. And that care shows up in how we work on projects, in our office culture and in the way we think about how our projects connect to the wider neighborhood and city that they’re in.
We know that we are in a time of social, cultural and ecological rearrangement- some of it for the better, much of it for the worse. LA has made us who we are- its weird combination of the natural and the saturated, its informality, its legacy of architectural experimentation, its diversity, its celebration of making and creativity. And we also know that LA is changing. The housing and affordability crises threaten much of what we love about the city and the pandemic has made an already private city feel even more enclosed.
We see it as our responsibility to adopt a ‘do no harm’ approach to our work and social environmental impact. Wherever possible, we aim to contribute to creating accessible, multigenerational spaces that can bring people together. Around sustainability, our guiding ethos makes reducing, reusing and recycling central to our practice.
What we care about
Our studio combines cutting-edge technology software with tactile material research and exploration through sketching and model making. The space between these processes is the secret sauce behind what makes our projects socially inviting, texturally felt, and spatially unique.
We are wildly nerdy about creative practices and process. A diverse and eclectic set of reference points permeate our work. From modern and fine art- sculpture, photography, contemporary dance, public art- to everyday culture.
Process
Our design team gets to work transforming a collage of influences, conversations and research into architecture that is aesthetically delightful and layered with meaning. We love to intentionally mix references from different eras because it gives space longevity, creating durable contemporary designs that wink at history.
Our process brings as much in from architectural design as it does from other creative processes and practices-remixing, drafting and editing, flipping things around and looking from different angles, being willing to scrap ideas that don’t work and go down different pathways. We are fortunate to call some of the leading creatives and musicians at the top of their field today our clients and friends.