Located at the intersections of Kinross Avenue and Westwood Boulevard in the heart of Westwood village, adjacent to the UCLA campus, the mixed-use two-story 50’s building occupies an imposing corner site. The design proposal is to transform the approx. 6,000 SF vacant second-floor office space into residential apartment units with easy access to public transportation and exterior balconies offering views of the surrounding village. Upon completion, the project will revitalize a key site in the village, offering much-needed housing, and will set a precedent for creative repurposing of existing vacant spaces.
The design brief focused on maximizing the potential of the second floor space, delivering modern spacious apartments, and achieving sustainability standards.
Construction is expected to start as soon as the necessary building approvals are in place.
The existing second-floor space is accessed by an exterior entry that leads to a voluminous space featuring the rustic sophistication of the roof’s wooden trusses and exposed wood beams. A total of 4 units, ranging from 1,600 SF to 400 SF, are planned for the second floor. The design maintains the existing footprint of the upper floor. Inside, the layout of the apartments has been designed to create distinct private, common, and service areas, and balconies have been added to the front-facing units to provide a direct connection to the outside. The layout of the larger units will include two bedrooms, a spacious open kitchen, living and dining areas, and dedicated laundry closets. Skylights will be added to each unit to bring a measure of daylight into the interior spaces.
Improvements will be undertaken to the exterior entrance with a new entrance door and lighting, and to make the residential floor accessible, a commercial-grade elevator has been included in the new scheme.
On the exterior, to help define the new residential use, sustainable composite siding material and new energy-efficient windows will be used, together with new paint finishes. The entire building will undergo a transformation by restoring its original architectural character and adding exterior lighting.
Expected to be completed by Spring of 2027, the new housing will make a positive contribution to the local village’s townscape.