Architecture firm LOHA has incorporated terraces and covered balconies into a black-and-white student housing building that occupies an entire city block in West Los Angeles.
Built on the former site of an auto dealership, the Westgate1515 residential complex sits along Santa Monica Boulevard, a thoroughfare that connects various communities in the LA area.
Westgate1515 is a student housing complex
The development serves as housing for students attending the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), which lies about three miles to the northeast. Students can get to the campus by foot, bike, bus or car.
"The project embraces the culture and ecology of its surroundings and provides students the opportunity to engage with the neighbourhood in a more holistic way," said local firm LOHA, noting that college campuses are often closed off from the city.
For the 335,000-square-foot (31,123-square-metre) project, LOHA sought to break down the scale of a typical apartment block and demonstrate new approaches to multifamily housing in the area, where cars tend to dominate.
"The resulting 'urban village' strives to engage the public on a stretch of roadway better known for fast vehicular traffic than a lively pedestrian streetscape," the team said. "This project aims to change the conversation of what this neighbourhood can be."
The complex building is black and white
The complex contains 147 residential units, along with 42,000 square feet (3,902 met...