APC Melrose Place

Los Angeles, California

Conceived as a composition of material, texture and light, this is a structure with two faces – one peering out to a busy avenue, and the other engaging a quiet street.  An open wood lattice boosts the scale of the single story facade while preserving the existing structure, thus opening a new dialogue of texture and materiality to a street awash in stucco. The silhouette of the 40’s building, now dressed in black, appears as a shadow beyond.

The interior is a precious respite, cast with ample day-lighting from high windows and a large skylight.  A long glass wall pivots open as fresh air flows in over the lush courtyard garden, while wood ceilings add a warm glow to the cool, tile floors. Structure and details work in concert, and the architecture acts to connect air, light and space – creating an ultimately comfortable respite.

Architect of Record – WORD
Design Architect – Laurent Deroo, Paris
Photography – Taiyo Watanabe


AIA Los Angeles Design Award of Merit 2014