Highland Park, California, USA
Warren Techentin Architecture (WTARCH) has recently completed Monterey Apartments, a 13-unit apartment building near Highland Park designed to promote interactions and more intimate relationships among its occupants through a co-living arrangement.
The facade’s distinct profile was shaped to avoid the nearby power lines, while its prominent high-kitsch and unmistakable eye-catching Hardie Board Shingles are an homage to the Victorian shingle buildings at the nearby Heritage Square Museum.
Co-living is a housing type that has emerged relatively recently.
The idea behind co-living is a kind hybrid of two trends that have been increasing in popularity. Co-living seeks to mitigate the loneliness of micro-units a shared communal experience in living often by people who enjoy the proximity of density and the interactions and more intimate relationships this often promotes.
This building seeks to organize these relationships into 13 units, each with 4 small studio bedrooms attached to a common kitchen/living area.
Residents are provided with many amenities, including free wifi, power, cable, internet, water, gas, and even furniture alongside group amenities such as a gym, pool, spa, and backyard BBQ deck overlooking the Arroyo Seco.
As the site constraints of this project were extremely confining — with the Arroyo Seco Park to the Northwest and a high-voltage power line immediately adjacent to the building.
The building steps down towards the park and slants away from Monterey Road and Avenue 60 to avoid the power lines.
Project: Monterey Apartments
Architects: Warren Techentin Architecture WTARCH
Client: 4Site Real Estate
Photographers: Courtesy of WTARCH
