Practicing ArchitectureAwards

2010 AIA Housing Award Recipient

Category 3: Multifamily Living

Photo 1 of 7

Notes of Interest

Located in the heart of West Hollywood, this new eleven-unit housing project emphasizes the central importance of shared open space for the residents and the community. This project takes what would be the internalized open space of the courtyard and moves it to the exterior of the building to create a park which occupies approximately one-third (4,600 sf) of the project site.

As a result of shifting the common open space to the exterior and pushing the building to one side, units are organized linearly, allowing for ‘park frontage’ and cross-ventilation for every unit. External circulation is used as a buffer between public and private realms and articulated through layers of perforated metal and small openings.

This project presents a challenging but influential opportunity in regards to the creation and inclusion of an urban park in a private development. The provision of this park space resulted in a series of negotiations between the developer, the architect and the city from which a unique, more fluid, model of community planning and development emerged to the benefit of all parties involved.