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A predominantly residential complex with large common spaces that’s open to the city of Los Angeles
How do you create a residential project that’s suitable for both residents and the community, and with a range of services that meet the diverse needs of both? This was the first question KoningEizenberg Architecture needed to investigate in the initial stages of designing The Park. This sophisticated residential complex – and more – in the heart of Santa Monica, Los Angeles, offers ocean views from every level, always with a different perspective. We talked to the architects about the project.
With its extensive retail and public spaces, The Park in Santa Monica is much more than a residential development. How did the project take shape and what are its key features?
«At the beginning of the project, we asked ourselves a simple question: How do we create housing that does as much for the public as it does its residents? The “cross-grain” typology that we employed–breaking the housing into four buildings linked by open bridges–was a solution that we came up with as we tried to find a way to intermingle the public and private spaces. We designed the street level as a linear park with plazas placed at the base of upper-level residential courtyards, enhancing this major path between a neighboring light rail station and the surrounding neighborhood with outdoor seating, bike parking, shade, and sunlit areas».
The rooftop offers views over Los Angeles. What’s so special about this space for residents? And what are the advantages of the Santa Monica location?
«For dense cities, rooftops are valuable outdoor space – big backyards for residents of apartment buildings who don’t have their own yards. We designed this roof as a one-acre park with different kinds of outdoor spaces for the roofs of the four interconnected buildings. The result are The Field (a flexible space for multiple uses with mountain and beach views), The Garden (individualized, quiet spaces for relaxation at an intimate scale), The Beach (pool and lounge, including a rooftop bar), and the Kitchen Garden (a backyard BBQ for gathering and hosting, with edible aromatic plantings)».
How were the apartments conceived and what are their special features in terms of design, organization of spaces, materials, color palettes, and so on?
«In traditional courtyard housing, most residential units overlook a courtyard or an alley. We broke the building apart to achieve a “cross-grain” approach, meaning that every unit gets access to light, air, and views. The design of the building envelope was an opportunity to enhance street connectivity and occupant comfort. The result is a soft edge achieved with modulation strategies that capture views, add shade, and offer varying degrees of privacy. North-facing elevations are faceted to provide apartments with long views. On the south elevations, we added horizontal awnings and exterior moveable louvers with shade glass to filter views between units. Use of a prefabricated steel structural system, conXtech, reduced construction time by three months and was instrumental in cost effectively achieving the form as well as facilitating flexible unit planning».
Wellbeing and community are two underlying values of the project. What have they brought to The Park?
«Wellbeing and community underpin the project at multiple scales. At the urban scale, the massing has projecting and recessed balconies lining the courtyard plazas to facilitate more interaction between passersby and residents. The relationship between units balances privacy with views, while open air bridges let neighbors see each other as they move around the building. The rooftop park creates a large outdoor space for residents while offering a variety of spaces to suit individual moods and needs. Spaces for large groups, more intimate get togethers, and individual seclusion were integrated into the rooftop park. Retail was designed with a neighborhood-serving, high-quality grocery store in mind, which further activates the block while attracting both residents and commuters from the adjacent light rail station. The project also funded the construction of 64 units of LEED Platinum affordable housing, which were also designed by our office and completed in advance of this project on a nearby site».
Sustainability is another key element, with the project winning the Climate Action category of the 2023 AIA California Design Awards. How did you approach this aspect, and what solutions were adopted to reduce environmental impact?
«The project achieved LEED Platinum using passive and active environmental strategies, many of which contribute to The Park’s distinctive expression. For example, the massing facilitates breezes, and the building contains operable windows, movable sunshades, rooftop planting and PV shade canopies. The buildings have a different articulation on the north and south facades that creates a visual rhythm on the street while responding to the path of the sun. This enables passive approaches to controlling daylighting, like recessed balconies on the southern sides with horizontal awnings over the windows and moveable shutters for controlling both privacy and sun. High-efficiency HVAC, low-wattage LED lighting, Energy-Star appliances, high performance glazing, motion and daylight sensors, and well-insulated exterior walls reduce energy consumption. A 100.6kW PV array provides energy-use for resident common areas. A Solar Thermal System reduces hot water energy needs by 66%. During construction, waste was minimized before it was deposited in landfills, resulting in an 82.41% diversion rate of waste generated. All finish materials were verified for their low-emissions impact. Wood products were FSC-certified, and insulation was made using recycled content. Low VOC paint was used throughout. Locally sourced products were favored, including aggregate, cement, and drywall. Water conservation strategies included a purple pipe recycled water system for both toilet flushing and irrigation».
>>> Also read the editorial from THE PLAN 142, “The Centrality of Experimentation.”
Location: Santa Monica, CA, USA
Architect: KoningEizenberg Architecture
Completion: 2022
Architect of Record: LARGE Architecture
Civil: PSOMAS
Structural: Nabih Youssef Associates
MEP: Buro Happold Consulting Engineers Inc.
Consultants
Landscape: Spurlock Landscape Architects
Acoustics: Veneklasen
Lighting: Oculus Light Studio
Facade Access: Lerch Bates
LEED: ZC Sustainability
General Contractor: Pankow Builders
Photography by Eric Staudenmaier / Matthew Momberger / Sam Ludwig, courtesy of KoningEizenberg Architecture
