The challenges were demanding for this mixed use project–nearby…
The challenges were demanding for this mixed use project–nearby freeway, groundwater and soil contamination, and methan mitigation.
Lawrence Anderson
10 percent of the units needed to be set aside for low-income oc…
10 percent of the units needed to be set aside for low-income occupants, in order to mirror the diversity of Los Angeles.
Lawrence Anderson
The goal was an amenity-rich, sustainable building dense enough …
The goal was an amenity-rich, sustainable building dense enough for an array of different sized apartments, as well as mixed use.
Lawrence Anderson
Los Angeles, a city long famed for sprawl, is sprawled to the li…
Los Angeles, a city long famed for sprawl, is sprawled to the limits and getting denser. Solutions like Stella Mixed Use are becoming more common.
DesignArc
The site plan.
Lawrence Anderson
The judges liked the variety of materials used, and they praised…
The judges liked the variety of materials used, and they praised the generous outdoor spaces.
Lawrence Anderson
Stella is a model for modern, urban California living.
Lawrence Anderson
Landscaped common spaces offer places to grill, cook, and gather…
Landscaped common spaces offer places to grill, cook, and gather.
The project needed to be dense enough to offer studio, one, two,…
The project needed to be dense enough to offer studio, one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, as well as retail.
Lawrence Anderson
The project's bold, contemporary design has spurred growth in th…
The project's bold, contemporary design has spurred growth in the area.
Lawrence Anderson
Stella contains 244 residential units, which have been scaled ba…
Stella contains 244 residential units, which have been scaled back in square footage in order to nicely-proportioned common areas.
DesignArc
Stella Mixed Use in context
Award of Merit – Multifamily
Entrant/Architect: DesignArc, Los Angeles
| Builder/Developer: GLJ Partners, Carlsbad, Calif.
| Engineer: Taylor Syfan, Pasadena
| Photographer: Lawrence Anderson
| Land Use Consultants: Craig Lawson & Associates, Culver City, Calif.
| Living Space: 580 to 1,977 square feet;
| Cost: $262 a square foot;
| Lot size: 3.65 acres
| Resources: Kitchen appliances: GE stainless; Kitchen countertops: CaesarStone; Plumbing fixtures: Moen; Roofing: Thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) Firestone roofing.
The more demanding the challenges, the more creative the solutions may be. That was the case for a busy site by a freeway. There were problems—methane mitigation, groundwater and soil contamination, a high water table; and an entitlement requirement to set aside 10 percent of units for low-income occupants to mirror city diversity. But a big positive was that it was near public transportation. Developer GLJ Builders’ goal was an attractive, amenity-rich, and sustainable building that would be dense enough to offer an array of studio to three-bedroom apartments and mixed-use square footage. Once GLJ and DesignARC architects developed their design for the five-story “Stella” rental building, they needed to secure more than 200 permits. “People here can no longer live the suburban fantasy; we’re sprawled to the limits, and there are too many fire risks and landslides,” says Sean Finn, a DesignARC partner. But his firm and the developer accomplished all, and Stella has become a bold paradigm for modern, urban California living. Opened in early 2012, Stella contains 244 units scaled back in square footage to include the largest number as well as common areas and ground-level retail and restaurants. To make the structure more street-friendly, it was designed with a playful Mondrian-like façade of colorful blocks, big windows, and glass balconies, and two outdoor areas—a walkable landscaped stretch at ground level, and pool, sand beach, and deck atop a podium. Judges found the materials and colors exciting, and liked the generous outdoor spaces. A cool roof and storm-water filtration system helped the $65 million building gain LEED certification. Stella has spurred area redevelopment.
Getting It Done
To eliminate methane and groundwater contamination, the architects designed the foundation like a ship. Its bottom slopes up like a hull to allow gas to migrate passively to the exterior of building walls, and because of the high water table the foundation was designed to resist hydrostatic pressure.
Barbara Ballinger (www.barbaraballinger.com) is a
freelance writer, author, and speaker who focuses on real estate, design, and family
business. Her most recent book is The Kitchen
Bible: Designing Your Perfect Culinary Space (Images
Publishing, 2014).
