Los Angeles Civic Arts is one of two shortlisted proposals for a major new development in West LA

Over the last few months, WHY has been working collaboratively on the proposal for Los Angeles Civic Arts, a major new mixed use development designed with KFA Architecture, Studio MLA, Thomas Safran & Associates, California Landmark Group, and Historic Resources Group. We’re delighted to announce that our team has been shortlisted and we’re currently awaiting final selection.

LA Civic Arts reimagines the mid-century Civic Center site as a dynamic intersection of the arts and daily life. Located on the south side of Santa Monica Boulevard between Corinth and Butler Avenues, the campus would include a mix of affordable and market-rate housing centered on a landscaped plaza, enlivened by the presence of Berklee College of Music and the iconic Village Studios recording complex.

The Design Team set out to energize the existing mid-century buildings, preserving characteristic features while emphasizing openness and transparency. Municipal offices, housing, and arts spaces come together as part of a carefully designed mix of diverse elements – linked by leisurely landscaping and spaces to interact and relax.

We asked ourselves: why should the arts be separate from daily life? Los Angeles Civic Arts is our answer: an infusion of creativity and sociability into the day-to-day.