TAKACS ARCHITECTURE

Sited between the bustling Wilshire Blvd. & 6th St. arteries of Koreatown, the Westmoreland mixed-use project responds to the neighborhood by providing joint live-work quarters and building amenities catered to small business needs like a collective work space, conference room, and print center. The tailored symmetry of the facade reflects the crisp formality of historic & mid-century buildings along the grand Wilshire Blvd.

height: 85'

stories: 7

units: 77

area: 74,732 sf

retail: 3,105 sf

The PicoFax mixed-use project capitalized on the incentives of the Transit Oriented Centers program for increased area, though not for density. Though investigations of the area’s needs, Takacs Architecture determined that micro-units were less suited to this neighborhood. The angular verticality of the facade design draws attention down to the commercial street level for a building sited along a transforming stretch of Pico that is seeing an increase in pedestrian activity.

height: 85'

stories: 4

units: 28

area: 24,480 sf

retail: 2,364 sf

The repositioning of this prime little property in the famed Golden Triangle of Beverly Hills involves a strategic addition and remodel for mixed use functions of ground floor restaurant with patio dining and upper level offices. The facade design with elongated arches & deeply recessed openings references some nearby mid-century beauties, as well as neighboring Spanish style buildings.

The Angeles’ building organization is targeted to a set of urban dwellers that want ample space within a collective setting instead of a private home. A pair of 2- story townhouses at the front and 4 single level flats at the rear have expansive outdoor space that capitalizes on Southern California inside-outside living and share a roof garden.

height: 45'

stories: 4

units: 6

area: 14,400 sf

This new multi-family project located on a verdant street in West Hollywood utilizes the incentives of increased building area and increased height from the state density bonus law for providing much needed affordable housing. Massing and design strive for neighborhood compatibility within an eclectic block. The board-formed concrete base of the ground level is a nod to the rusticated stonework of nearby mid-century apartments and light colored stucco with deeply recessed windows at the mid levels references an adjacent historic Spanish style building. The upper levels are clad in translucent glass panels that reflect the sky.

height: 45'

stories: 5

units: 14

area: 17,265 sf

SB Omega is a tall, broad tower that stands back on a long podium which spans 3/4 of the block in Downtown LA’s Historic Core. A highly articulated network of horizontal balconies zips up the tower façade. The podium draws on the language of the tower and simultaneously indexes the more ordered grid of adjacent buildings while referencing the scale of the pedestrian.

height: 390'

stories: 38

units: 452

area: 551,800 sf

retail: 25,000 sf

The project’s siting at the southernmost boundary of the Historic Broadway Theater District acts as a gateway. The cubic mass is scaled to the height of the block and fills a long-standing void at the intersection of Broadway & Olympic. Linking old with new, the building design references the early 20th century buildings of the Historic Core with its classic vertical tripartite order of base-middle-crown and simultaneously presences itself as a contemporary structure through it’s detailing

height: 166'

stories: 15

units: 163

area: 184,700 sf

retail: 5,800 sf

The Hill Tower references design elements from adjacent historic buildings while packing in a dense amount of dwelling units on a compact urban infill lot in the Southpark neighborhood of Downtown LA. The tall tower won’t blend in, but neighboring references provide a respectful acknowledgement of the existing fabric and an opportunity for inventive contextual design that redefine the block.

height: 340'

stories: 33

units: 239

area: 261,600 sf

retail: 5,400 sf

The ample acreage of the Panorama Tower adaptive reuse project provides an opportunity for additional program on the site. The Panorama Paseo is designed as a 40,000 sf concrete and glass retail companion to the mid-century Tower and extends the existing open space by pulling it along the length of the Paseo. Parking displaced by the footprint of the building is relocated on top and connects to the tower via a pedestrian footbridge.

In keeping with the scale and character of the eclectic neighborhood in Venice, Takacs Architecture designed 4 separate single family houses that are closely related yet individually distinguished. The compact 3 stories incorporate the exteriors with ocean-facing roof decks as well as numbers balconies and terraces that allow for indoor-outdoor living while retaining a sense of privacy.

Los Angeles’s Small Lot Ordinance provides a smart way for more affordable home ownership while also establishing a small community within low rise areas. The Garfield project consists of 5 townhouses that are 3- stories plus roof decks strategically screened for privacy. An additional collective open space garden fosters social togetherness within this little community.

height: 30'

stories: 3

units: 5

area: 10,089 sf

This 13- story modernist office building originally designed by Welton Beckett in 1964 remained shuttered since the Northridge earthquake for nearly 20 years and blighted the neighborhood. The visionary developer who was the first to engage the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance in Downtown LA was drawn to the uniqueness of a tall building in a low rise area and saw a similar opportunity for revitalization in Panorama City. Gutted interiors have been reorganized into 194 joint live-work quarters, rooftop mechanical spaces have been transformed into panoramic penthouses, and an abandoned subterranean electrical vault became a grand space for a pool.

This project was the first to have it’s concrete structure reviewed and approved under the City of LA’s Non-ductile Concrete Retrofit Ordinance and helped establish a methodology for their review.

height: 170'

stories: 13

units: 194

area: 173,000 sf

retail: 10,400 sf

Takacs Architecture worked very closely with the owner on the design, detailing, furnishings, and landscaping for an 3,600 sf pool house in the Hollywood Hills. The timeless building looks as though it was always part of the exotic & verdant estate. It effectively serves as a grand space for parties and events, as well as in intimate writing studio.

The multi-talented Diane Keaton led the architectural and interior design of her new 9,000 sf residence and adjacent work studio utilizing images culled from Pinterest. Cynthia Carlson Associates developed the building with Diane. Takacs Architecture collaborated with Stephen Shadley Designs on the interiors, pool, and revisions to the facade.

All photos shown here are by Lisa Romerein and are featured in Diane's gorgeous book published by Rizzoli: "The House that Pinterest Built”.

This 6,400 sf residence with commanding views of Los Angeles underwent a complete remodel & structural retrofit. Interiors were reconfigured to make grand spaces feel separate yet connected in a more fluid flow and suited to a family that entertains.

Takacs Architecture worked to reposition Sidney Eisenshtat’s iconic and brilliantly detailed 1962 building on Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills. After the building was historically landmarked, the rights for additional building area were sought via the Historic Incentive Program. We designed a quietly discrete penthouse addition, an updated replacement of ground floor canopies and an interior remodel of the lobby with a keen eye towards respecting the original building design while not creating a false impression that the alterations were part of the original building fabric.

The longstanding owner of this underused little gem in the Historic Broadway Theater District was looking to reposition the 6-story building as an adaptive reuse joint live-work project. The mounting project challenges proved counter productive and the strategy changed to a reactivation of the commercial occupancy through the Broadway Commercial Reuse Ordinance. Takacs Architecture found historic photos that showed beautiful detailing of the facade, but investigations under the stucco cover showed that the original brickwork was too far damaged. Other historic elements like the gridded glass transoms and terra-cotta ornamentations were restored.

The linear building is sited on an extremely narrow lot and defines the eastern boundary of the burgeoning NoHo Artcraft District. An illuminated array of perforated metal panels will animate the street facing facade with dappled light and shadows as part of an integrated art element serving as a public benefit in exchange for an increase in building size and density.

height: 63'

stories: 6

units: 46

area: 45,900 sf

The 1.8 million sf Sears distribution center is a historic landmark in Boyle Heights that is tied to the memories of many in Los Angeles. Takacs Architecture worked closely with the new building owner on preliminary feasibility studies and site planning to examine the programmatic possibilities and neighborhood connectivity.

The beloved Rialto Theater in South Pasadena has deteriorated from lack of care by previous owners. Takacs Architecture worked closely with Chattel Inc. Historic Preservation Consultants and the City of South Pasadena to arrive at a strategy for restoration of the facade.

This rare black & gold Art Deco beauty had suffered from decades of bad alterations. Takacs Architecture worked with the new property owner to thoughtfully reposition this landmarked building. We all worked collaboratively with Chattel Inc. Historic Preservation Consultants, & the City of LA’s Office of Historic Resources to be faithful to the original building design while also making contemporary alterations.

Takacs Architecture served as Architect of Record for this large new 22,000 s.f. retail building for WSS Shoes cater-cornered from the historic Sears Landmark project in Boyle Heights. The collaborative dynamic between the triple prong of developer, retailer, and architect proved effective to resolve the intricacies of site constraints and green building requirements.

This 2- unit condominium is located on a narrow corner lot that maximizes the building envelope while being broken into volumes in order to establish a pedestrian scale in this area of high beach circulation. Loft-like open living spaces with en-suite bathrooms in master suites allows the golden California sun to wash through all the interiors.

height: 30'

stories: 3

units: 2

area: 1,886 sf

The historically landmarked Security Pacific Bank building by Curlett and Beelman from 1924 has a prime location in the revitalizing Downtown of Long Beach and is well suited for adaptive reuse into 118 lofts. Takacs Architecture worked closely with the City of Long Beach’s Planning Dept. and Building Dept. to navigate their own nascent adaptive reuse policy which parallels that of the City of Los Angeles.

height: 161'

stories: 13

units: 118

area: 107,309 sf

retail: 14,000 sf