Brooks + Scarpa Architects

Pico Place

Pico Place
© John Linden

Pico Place 

Brooks + Scarpa Architects

ACOUSTICS
Veneklasen 

SPECIFICATIONS
Phil Easton

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
Weidlinger Associates Inc.

GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Morley Construction

LANDSCAP
Peg Office Of Landscape + Architecture

ROOF SAFETY ACCESS
Irc

ARCHITECT IN CHARGE
Emily Hodgdon

PROJECT DESIGN TEAM
Mark Buckland, Ching Luk, Silke Clemens, Brad Buter

MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING
E2di

CIVIL ENGINEERING
Barbara Hall

PHOTOGRAPHS
John Linden

AREA
38250 Ft²

YEAR
2013

LOCATION
Santa Monica, United States

CATEGORY
Housing

Text description provided by architect.

Pico Place is a 32-unit LEED Platinum affordable apartment building consisting of 2 and 3-bedroom family units with a common laundry room, community room and subterranean parking.

Pico Place
© John Linden
Pico Place
© John Linden

The project provides a connection between the tall Sheraton hotel to the east and the beach to the west by placing the building volume on each side of the property and opening up the project’s center to create an enclosed, residential interior courtyard.

Strips of fabric floating above the courtyard offer a variation in material and a sense of place while shading the courtyard and providing privacy from the hotel overlooking the building.

By placing a one-story community room along Pico Blvd., and creating a ‘frame’ that unifies the project, the interior courtyard can be seen from the street, while also remaining semi-private.

Pico Place
© John Linden
Pico Place
© John Linden

This allows courtyard activity to spill out to, and provides a pedestrian connection with Pico Blvd., protecting the residential properties across the alley from the courtyard noise and activity.

The major exterior material consists of recycled cement board siding in different colors and textures, creating an elegant façade that is contextual and varied, and which complements the surrounding buildings and uses.

Pico Place
© John Linden
Pico Place
© John Linden

The parking is accessed from the rear alley, and drought tolerant/native landscaping provides a rich living environment for the people that will live here and provide a transition from the busy commercial area immediately to the west, to the residential district to the south and east.


Pico Place
© John Linden
Pico Place
© John Linden
Pico Place
© John Linden
Pico Place
© John Linden


Pico Place
© John Linden
Pico Place
© John Linden
Pico Place
© John Linden
Pico Place
© John Linden
Pico Place
© John Linden


Pico Place
East Elevation
Pico Place
West Elevation
Pico Place
South Elevation
Pico Place
North Elevation


Pico Place
Garage Floor Plan
Pico Place
Second Floor Plan
Pico Place
Third Floor Plan
Pico Place
Roof Plan


Pico Place
Section AA
Pico Place
Section AA
Pico Place
Section AA

Brooks + Scarpa Architects
T +1 323 5964700
Brooks + Scarpa Architects
3929 139th St, Hawthorne, CA 90250, United States