Engagement Archives - Office of: Office

Rebuilding Response: Eaton & Palisades

Office of: Office — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 04:00:17 +0000

We founded this organization to support communities affected by inequities in the built environment.

We believe deeply in our work informing a future of resident-directed development, community networks, and abundant resources for neighborhoods. In line with that mission, we are providing this support for residents who have historically faced discrimination in housing, inequities in the built environment, and/or challenges in building generational wealth that may be at a disadvantage in their rebuilding efforts.��

If you have been impacted by the fires in Los Angeles and need architecture, planning, or design support in rebuilding your home,��please submit request with information on your property and needs.

Please send any questions to��olivia@officeofoffice.com!

*We realize this offer might exclude other populations or our fellow tenants and renters. If you have questions or need technical assistance please reach out, we can connect you to other resources in our network if we aren’t able to help you directly.

The post Rebuilding Response: Eaton & Palisades appeared first on Office of: Office.

The Backyard Homes Project

Office of: Office — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 17:50:34 +0000

The Backyard Homes Project is a City of Los Angeles based affordable housing initiative that helps homeowners build a new affordable rental Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) in their backyard.

The program, initiated by LA Más and now led by��Office of:��People, was developed to explore the viability of ADUs as an affordable housing option.

The goal was to promote stability for housing insecure tenants, while supporting homeowners in earning reliable income from their new rental unit.��Launched in 2018, this program offered a one-stop-shop to support homeowners with technical assistance, including financing, design, permitting, construction, and tenant matching. Other program offerings include free landlord education and project management.

Participants that have received this support are committed to renting to a Section 8 voucher holder for a minimum of 5 years.

The program offered a suite of prototype ADUs in three different styles for homeowners to select from that could reflect the context of their community, or their personal culture.��

Each ADU design prioritized architectural details, space efficiency, and affordable construction. This approach also helped save the homeowner time and cost in the design and permitting phase.

PROJECT PARTNERS:

GENESIS LA ECONOMIC GROWTH CORPORATION, JP MORGAN CHASE & CO., SELF-HELP FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, RESTORE NEIGHBORHOODS LA (RNLA), LA FAMILY HOUSING, ST. JOSEPH CENTER, HOUSING RIGHTS CENTER AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES (HACLA).

The post The Backyard Homes Project appeared first on Office of: Office.

Accessory Structure Certification Program

Office of: Office — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 19:28:30 +0000

Identifying opportunities to streamline upgrades for Unpermitted Residential Development

Working with numerous cities, we have focused on removing barriers to missing-middle housing production and stabilization. We’ve been working collaboratively to design a Certification Program that will offer a streamlined permitting process that helps homeowners identify and fix unpermitted upgrades made to their properties.

In the revised process, when a homeowner receives a code violation for something like the unpermitted conversion of a garage into an ADU, they would be presented the option of participating in the Certification Program. Limiting barriers to entry this program is conducted entirely at the front door of the resident.��Rather than potentially remove housing stock and displace tenants, an inspector would identify critical changes needed to bring the unit to livable and safe standards.

The intent of the program is to increase the safety and livability��of dwellings that may have been constructed without proper permitting and inspections. The Certification Program is a balance between being less financially burdensome on homeowners while still prioritizing tenant wellbeing.

More to Come...

One of our key practices as a team is to build the capacity of our partners to effectively implement new models of housing. Throughout the design process, we have organized regular meetings with key City staff to work through potential challenges, needed process changes, and concerns around feasibility.

Find out how to partner with us to remove barriers to housing development in your City!

The post Accessory Structure Certification Program appeared first on Office of: Office.

Frogtown Artwalk 2014

Office of: Office — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 08:48:08 +0000

We designed wayfinding signage for the artwalk to help guide visitors from one exhibit to the next.

The Frogtown Artwalk is a bi-yearly community event organized by the Elysian Valley Art Collective, an arts non-profit dedicated to preserving and promoting an inclusive community along the Los Angeles River, that celebrates local artists in a neighborhood-wide arts exhibition.

We were invited to design and fabrication wayfinding signage for each venue to help guide visitors from one exhibit to the next.��The artwalk covers over a half-mile stretch of the Elysian Valley neighborhood where over 30 galleries and installations pop-up in resident garages, driveways, neighborhood studios, and local businesses. The artwalk is a car free event that encourages visitors to walk, bike or skate the neighborhood.

��

For the 2014 Frogtown Artwalk, the designed super graphic wayfinding signage, designed in collaboration with Elly Ward, that were inspired by the late Deborah Sussman. The super-sized signs were CNC milled out of plywood and hand painted.

Project Partners: Elysian Valley Arts Collective.

The post Frogtown Artwalk 2014 appeared first on Office of: Office.

Welcome to Western

Office of: Office — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 08:20:48 +0000

We re-imagined Western Ave. to become a more walkable, safe, and vibrant business corridor.

Welcome to Western is a public realm project informed by the many different users of Western Ave between Melrose and 3rd St. Over the course of the past year, we facilitated three public events and listened to many different Western Ave locals to learn about their diverse experiences on the street and how it could be improved.

All this feedback informed the design of a variety of physical sidewalk improvements that enhance the pedestrian experience and benefit the small businesses on Western Ave.

Through robust engagement with Western’s diverse constituents, we heard the following goals for the street: make Western a place that feels safe and welcoming; support local small businesses and enhance vibrancy; and help Western feel more friendly to pedestrians.

After over six months of permitting and installation, we unveiled the project at a in August 2018. The festival featured diverse music and dance performances, arts workshops, community booths, and a scavenger hunt highlighting local businesses.

Outfront/ JCDecaux Street Furniture, LA Sign Company, Mural Painter LA, Laser Bend.

Funders: City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Council District 4.

The post Welcome to Western appeared first on Office of: Office.

Wilmington Wayfinding

Office of: Office — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 07:40:17 +0000

We designed wayfinding signage to increase connections between existing amenities, supporting the pedestrian experience and small business activity.

For this Port of LA-sponsored project, we produced wayfinding signage, incorporating community feedback, that connects resources on Avalon Boulevard and the Wilmington Waterfront.

The project features nine signs with wayfinding for pedestrians, installed on City-owned light poles along Avalon Blvd between Anaheim Street and Harry Bridges Blvd. Each sign provides information about which small business amenities are within a several block radius, in addition to pointing to the LA Port at the Wilmington Waterfront and other civic destinations.

Each amenity is indicated with a simple and clear icon and accompanied by walking travel distance, creating a graphic cluster that gives a snapshot of resources nearby.

Project Partners: Council District 15.

The post Wilmington Wayfinding appeared first on Office of: Office.

Reseda Boulevard

Office of: Office — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 07:02:08 +0000

We reimagined the sidewalks of Reseda Boulevard through design that activates public space and creates a more vibrant business corridor.

As part of Mayor Garcetti’s Great Streets Initiative, this short-term, creative place-making project re-imagines Reseda Blvd. to create a pedestrian-oriented street with the intent of spurring social and economic synergy and vitality along the corridor.

Keeping this vision in mind, our team completed innovative sidewalk patterning, street furniture, and facade under-awning improvements on four blocks along Reseda.

These piloted designs were based on a community workshop and interviews with key stakeholders. The project area was Reseda Boulevard between Nordhoff and Gresham St.

Project Partners: Office of Councilmember Mitchell Englander and Northridge Sparkle.

The post Reseda Boulevard appeared first on Office of: Office.

Great Streets Challenge

Office of: Office — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 06:38:16 +0000

A project to offer professional technical assistance as a resource to help re-imagine main streets across Los Angeles.

Serving as the economic development consultants for all seven winners ,our team provided design and strategic resources directed by the priorities and values set forth by the community partners to promote economic development along the selected project areas.

Pop-up project winning community partners received either local business maps to highlight nearby businesses and cultural destinations or event passports encouraging attendees and community members to explore playful demonstrations of potential pedestrian safety strategies.

We continued working with the build project winners through 2018 to develop design strategies and pilot initiatives to promote local economic development alongside the City’s $1.5 million investment in larger infrastructural changes.

Project Partners: Great Streets Studio, MIG, LADOT Artist in Residence Alan Nakagawa.

The post Great Streets Challenge appeared first on Office of: Office.

Sidewalk of Gold

Dum Dum — Wed, 02 Jan 2019 00:57:36 +0000

Our team was honored to be invited by the Mayor’s Office and the Grand Central Market to design a fitting commemoration for Jonathan Gold.

For Angelenos, the sidewalk is our piazza and food trucks and street vendors are our four-star Michelin restaurants. This often-overlooked terrority is made vibrant and alive by the entrepreneurs, cultural producers, and culinary experts that Jonathan Gold highlighted for all of us.

The new bronze plaque inside Grand Central Market reflects Gold’s playful and celebratory description of food.

We borrowed from the stylistic language of macaronic art to decorate the plaque, featuring some of his favorite foods.

The light pole medallions feature Gold’s well-known profile and honor his much-beloved status in the city. We were excited to partner with the, who painted the poles gold and installed these medallions in just two weeks.

Project Partners: Bureau of Street Lighting.

The post Sidewalk of Gold appeared first on Office of: Office.

48 ADU Prototype

Office of: Office — Tue, 01 Jan 2019 08:31:48 +0000

The 48 ADU prototype is available to all participants in the Backyard Homes Project.

The Backyard Homes Project is a City of Los Angeles based affordable housing initiative that helps homeowners build a new affordable rental Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) in their backyard. Homeowners participating in the affordable housing program have the ability to select from seven different pre-designed ADU prototypes.��

��

Inspired by Sears catalogs and other prefab flat-packed home deliveries from the turn of the century, we gave homeowners a variety of flavors and interior and exterior style options to choose from regardless of unit type.

��

After the homeowner selects a unit type, they pick from 3 different styles (Craftsman, Spanish, Moderne) for the interior and exterior which includes colors, finishes, features, and hardware specifications unique to the kit.

This ADU is the 1-bedroom 1-bath prototype in a cool/neutral Craftsman Style and located behind a 1900’s Craftsman home in South LA. The property is within a Community Plan Implementation Overlay (CPIO), a zoning tool intended on conserving the charter of a residential neighborhood.��

Interested in a Craftsman style, the homeowners selected a cool color palette for the interior and exterior of the home. The design features varied gray and blue tones in textured synthetic materials like linoleum and laminate to bring scale and durability to the affordable housing unit.��

Project Partners:

Genesis LA Economic Growth Corporation, JP Morgan Chase & Co., Self-Help Federal Credit Union, Restore Neighborhoods LA (RNLA), LA Family Housing, St. Joseph Center, Housing Rights Center and the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA).

The post 48 ADU Prototype appeared first on Office of: Office.