June 29, 1925 was a defining moment in the history of Santa Barbara. A major earthquake leveled the majority of the downtown corridor. Although disastrous, this event was the impetus for furthering a community movement to have a uniform architectural style.
Read MoreThe kitchen. AKA the heart of the home…the space, no matter how big or small, where family and friends gather together the most. A highly utilized area, the kitchen has to work from a design perspective with the right aesthetics and functionality, but it also has to be a thoughtful reflection of you. Does it fit your lifestyle? Does it feel special?
Read MoreWould you all agree that we have some of the best restaurants in Los Angeles? Successful restaurants have to check many boxes, but the clear-cut ones are as follows: the menu/food has to be incredible, especially with such discerning foodies in LA; service has to be on point; and the design of the space has to be memorable…a place one would want to go back to time and again. Manuela in DTLA’s Arts District would certainly meet these criteria.
Read MoreHave you ever thought about how much lighting can either enhance or detract from the design of a space? This is an essential element to be considered, which is why we devote time to a lighting plan when designing a project. The perfect illumination creates highlights and depth to everything it touches, and successful architecture captures the interplay between light and shadow.
Read MoreWho would ever think that “seeing red” would be a good thing? Moving from the Covid-19 purple tier to the red tier for Los Angeles is, in fact, a very good thing for many reasons. Most important, cases are going down. We will have some sense of normalcy once more places open including our amazing museums. Announcements are coming out that a few museums are opening, with limited capacity, as early as April 1. One of our favorite museums is the Getty Center, which is slated to open in phases starting mid- April.
Read MoreStahl House (Case Study House #22) is synonymous with iconic Los Angeles homes. The Stahl House photograph taken by legendary Julius Shulman is one of the most published and recognizable architectural photos. The mid-century modern home, beautifully built into and around the topography of the Hollywood Hills, was designed by prestigious California architect Pierre Koenig. But who were Buck and Carlotta Stahl? According to them, nobody famous.
Read MoreIt goes without saying, we are very visual people. A key part of what we do is being able to visualize, conceptualize, and create a presentation of images to effectively show that intention. We love inspiring our clients, but what inspires us?
Read MoreCalifornia is a popular place to build ADUs (accessory dwelling unit). Perhaps the state legislative changes that occurred in 2020 incentivized homeowners to take the ADU plunge, or maybe the pandemic prompted people to create a separated work-at-home space.
Read MoreAdaptive reuse. We all know the term. We all appreciate the concept. As designers, we see the significance of adaptive reuse, and when done well, the results can be the perfect blend of historic preservation, art, design and sustainability.
Read MoreOut of 116,000 architects in the United States, only 502 are Black women. What a staggering statistic. That is only 0.4%. And this number is up ten times from where it was 30 years ago, which one could say is certainly progress. But is slow progress enough progress?
Read MoreSigning on to a new design + construct project is always exciting. Signing on to a Eugene Kinn Choy designed home, and we have to admit, we took an extra minute to let it fully sink in that such an opportunity was ours. Architects and designers revere history-rich homes and buildings.
Read MoreFrom an architectural standpoint, urban development and revitalization in the Los Angeles area is of great interest to us. We also see the importance in staying informed on the current direction of design and construction around the city. To be completely biased, LA has some of the best creative thinkers when it comes to innovation, and the architectural design community is no exception.
Read MoreLast summer we heard that the A+D (Architecture + Design) Museum was closing their physical location in downtown LA and moving to a hybrid model of virtual programming and pop-up exhibits in different cities. A museum that “explores the definitions of architecture and design, from the conceptual to professional practice,” A+D has become well known, especially to those of us in Los Angeles.
Read MoreAs we embark upon a fourth year of writing the SweisKloss blogs, we reflect back on past blogs and how much we’ve enjoyed writing them. We were curious to know what our readers gravitated toward the most in 2020 and thought we’d share them with you. Here are the top five blogs to revisit or see for the first time if you are new to our newsletters.
Read MoreHolidays from the Heart is a program near and dear to my, well, heart. This charitable initiative supports the most vulnerable and financially challenged patients at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). I have been involved with this cause for the last seven years when my brother first introduced it to me.
Read MoreTo say that women have come a long way when it comes to owning a business would be a vast understatement. The road to being on equal footing in an ever-challenging business world has been paved by successful, strong women, for which I am grateful.
Read MoreWhen designing and renovating a space that includes a countertop, it is smart to weigh all the options. A countertop should provide a captivating focal point and complement the materials and colors that will surround the surface. Equally as important is selecting one for daily functionality that works with the homeowner’s lifestyle and needs. Consider the durability, maintenance, and porosity of the countertop material.
Read MoreEven in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, I am certain each of us could still list off many things we are grateful for. Our list may look a little differently this year, but finding something to appreciate each day has helped me get through this unprecedented year.
Read MoreDoughnut aficionados near and far will tell you that Sidecar Doughnuts + Coffee is hands down the sweetest establishment in Southern California for ridiculously-mouth-watering doughnuts, avid community giving, and that’s right…award-winning architecture.
Read More“What if a single act of design and construction made the world a better place?” This is the first sentence you read when you go to the International Living Future Institute’s (ILFI) site page about the Living Building Challenge (LBC). How could a line like that not resonate with us or with others in the field of design, architecture, and construction?
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