Los Angeles, California, USA
AVA Arts District serves as a dynamic base camp for artists and creators, deeply rooted in the irreverent art and street culture of LA’s historic Arts District.
Honoring the area’s industrial heritage, thriving creative community, and ongoing transformation, the project embodies the district’s spirit—celebrating its past while embracing its evolving identity.
AVA Arts District by OFFICEUNTITLED, won an American Architecture Award 2025 from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.
Located on the eastern industrial edge of downtown Los Angeles, AVA Arts District draws inspiration from the neighborhood’s history of adaptive reuse and creative reinvention.
Positioned along Alameda Street—an essential artery linking Union Station to South LA and the Port of Los Angeles—the site anchors a corridor of change, situated directly across from the future Metro underground station and at the heart of the Los Angeles River revitalization.
The design concept—“Buildings on a Building”—references the district’s tradition of repurposing industrial rooftops for new creative spaces.
Inspired by the materiality and fenestration patterns of the area’s warehouses, the project integrates fluted precast concrete panels, cloverleaf perforated metal, and locally sourced reclaimed timber, echoing the industrial fabric of the neighborhood.
Art is embedded throughout the project, with local muralists commissioned to transform key communal spaces, including the lobby, gym, and clubhouse.
These large-scale works pay homage to the Arts District’s legacy while infusing an element of playfulness.
At street level, full-height murals energize the pedestrian experience, reinforcing the project’s connection to the creative culture that defines the area.
Recognizing the challenges artists face in securing live/work spaces, the development offers 475 live/work units, with 20% designed for light industrial use via Type I construction.
Each unit integrates a minimum of 150 square feet of dedicated workspace, ensuring artists can create without sacrificing living quality.
Beyond individual residences, AVA Arts District fosters collaboration and productivity with a range of thoughtfully designed communal spaces.
The building features work and study areas, communal lounges, soundproof conference rooms, and private phone booths, all enhanced through deliberate lighting and color strategies to optimize focus and creativity.
Sustainability is embedded in the project’s DNA. Designed for passive cooling and energy efficiency, the elongated building form maximizes cross-ventilation through 500+ operable windows, naturally ventilated corridors, and rooftop solar panels that capture renewable energy.
A commitment to green infrastructure extends throughout the landscape design. The project integrates Los Angeles Rio Guidelines from the LA River Master Plan, incorporating native and drought-tolerant plantings to restore local ecology.
The Spur Paseo, a publicly accessible green corridor, fosters biodiversity, attracting native pollinators while creating an immersive natural experience for residents and visitors alike.
More than 125 large trees now shade a previously unvegetated site, culminating in The Landing, where a Heritage Tree serves as a symbol of renewal and environmental stewardship.
Sustainable mobility is also prioritized. The project provides 819 parking stalls, including 128 commercial spaces (11 EV-ready) and 703 residential spaces (22 EV-ready), alongside extensive bike parking (71 short-term, 498 long-term) to support alternative transportation.
Designed with flat slabs, the parking structure allows for future conversion, ensuring adaptability as urban mobility needs evolve.
AVA Arts District is pursuing LEED for Homes v4 Gold certification, exceeding Title 24 2016 energy efficiency requirements.
Performance-driven strategies include enhanced insulation, HERS verification, and centralized system commissioning.
Additionally, the project is committed to long-term energy benchmarking under AB802 and Los Angeles EBEWE mandates, ensuring ongoing sustainability accountability.
AVA Arts District is more than a residential development—it is an active participant in the evolution of the Arts District, reinforcing its legacy while embracing its future.
Through a synthesis of adaptive reuse, artistic integration, and sustainable innovation, the project creates an enduring space for creativity to thrive—a home for artists, shaped by the city’s relentless spirit of reinvention.
Project: AVA Arts District, Los Angeles
Architects: OFFICEUNTITLED
Design Team: Shawn Gehle, Lindsay Green, Christianne Jordan, Dallas Calhoun, Brooks Atwood, Stephen Clipp, Richard Destin, Paola Gomez-Pineiro, Carlos Maya, Tam Tran, Yifei Wu, Kaiyu Xi, Lauren Deshamp, Marcos Moll, Wilson Chang, Mirko Wanders, Carlos Navarro, Pearl Ho, Pavlina Willims, Karen Ghaidar, Tianlei Guo, Teresa Martin-Rico, Allison Sumner, and Tingting Xu
Architects of Record: AC Martin
Landscape Architects: RIOS
General Contractor: AvalonBay Communities, Inc.
Client: AvalonBay Communities, Inc.
Photographers: Vittoria Zupicich
