The project began with a careful reading of the site — studying its present condition, climate, and surrounding urban fabric. This analysis revealed the layered contradictions of Los Angeles: a city shaped through cycles of construction and erasure, dispersed in form yet deeply attuned to its natural landscape and enriched by an open, multicultural spirit.

These observations became the foundation of the design. The building takes inspiration from the modernist precision of Mies van der Rohe, expressed through a sleek glass façade that projects subtlety and strength. Behind this refined exterior lies an eight-story timber structure, engineered with I-flanges on all sides to provide seismic resilience — an elegant response to the tectonic realities of the region.

The process demonstrates how contextual analysis and cultural perception can transform into architecture that is both striking and pragmatic. The result is a design that reflects Los Angeles’ identity — dispersed yet connected, transparent yet grounded — embodying beauty, function, and resilience in equal measure.