TCA Architects

MERRIWEATHER

TCA Architect - Aug 25, 2024

The master planning evolved around the creation of the shared, linear park. The park’s central location provides both orientation and a shared sense of place for all the adjacent buildings in Columbia, Maryland. The park is then linked to Merriweather Drive at both its east and west ends by the primary public roads which lead into the district. These tree-lined roads are designed as outlined in the Design Guidelines to be animated with retail shops and restaurants, and have generous sidewalks promoting pedestrian activity. The project embraces the naturally distinctive context of the Merriweather district neighborhood and is a truly unique collection of residential, retail, office and entertainment space located within a surrounding forest. The buildings draw whimsical design inspiration from local forest inhibitors the “fox” and the “owl.” Marlow (the fox) a visually prominent beacon for the community and is expressive, bold and vibrant. Juniper (the owl) is quiet, calming and serves as a connector to the adjacent outside public symphony. While both buildings are intricately connected to nature, they purposefully juxtapose each other, contributing to a dynamic living environment.

Merriweather fly through video: https://vimeo.com/368404510

THE CHARLIE

tcaeditor - Aug 10, 2024

The Charlie (12575 Venice) is the companion project to 12444 Venice also by LaTerra Development. A 2 story commercial building on a 0.33 acre site, was replaced by this 75,267 SF residential project on Venice Blvd. The Charlie is a 5 story apartment building (4 stories of type VA over 1 story of type IA podium) above a subterranean parking structure. Ground floor units activate the pedestrian edges. The building includes a central courtyard to allow extensive light and air in. A generous sky deck on the 5th story maximizes views to the ocean and the Santa Monica mountains to the north. The Charlie is located in the residential and commercial neighborhood of Mar Vista on the Westside of Los Angeles, California. The small, but active community offers proximity to plenty of entertainment options, activities, and amenities.

AVALON PUBLIC MARKET PARCEL D

TCA Architect - Jul 23, 2024

Parcel D sits at the nexus of three zones, and the building design reflects these zones through variation in mass, window patterning, scale, and material. The building marks the nothern terminus of the Public Market retail heart and its main entrance helps define a small public plaza across the way. The solid rectangular mass with distinct window patterning sets this corner off from the rest of the development, and its color ties back to the brick hues of the Market. Along Shellmond, the building takes its cues from the industrial buildings across the way via larger scale of horizontally oriented openings. Entries are placed in strategic locations to further engage with the surroundings. The project achieved LEED Gold certification.

Cadence

TCA Staff - Jul 09, 2024

Cadence is a combination of two, 7-story residential buildings in the heart of South San Francisco, adjacent to a high-traffic Caltrain station. Originally, an additional 6-story residential building was planned on a third parcel. The project serves as a gateway to the city’s downtown and as an icon from the freeway. Designed to attract nearby tech workers, the project takes its inspiration from both the city’s manufacturing past and its future by creating a design that is modern industrial and chic. One of the main challenges in the design was creating three buildings that relate to each other, but are not repetitive and do not overwhelm the scale of nearby buildings. The solution was to make each building unique, while interweaving shared elements and material, to give a feeling of continuity. This cohesive design unites the project as a whole and creates a diversity that breaks down the scale of the entire project.

ELEVEN 10

TCA Architect - Jul 08, 2024

Eleven 10 is a residential development on a 5.75-acre site in the city of Orange. The project is four stories of Type V residential over one-level of on-grade Type I parking structure, with one and one half levels of subterranean residential parking. By placing three large courtyards in strategic locations, the majority of the 260 units are provided with views into the active and passive courtyards. The Pool Courtyard opens toward the existing office tower’s public plaza and flanked by a 7,200 SF double-height fitness center and club room. The location of this largest courtyard and the residential amenities allows for greater interaction with the office tower, as well as activation of the plaza. The material palette consists of exterior plaster, cementitious siding, metal awnings, enhanced materials at key elements, and a contemporary color scheme.

HANOVER NORTHGATE

TCA Architect - Jul 03, 2024

Hanover Northgate is a 7 story mixed-use project of 225 apartments and a total of 22,000 SQ FT of ground floor retail in Oakland, CA. In keeping with the Broadway-Valdez Design Guidelines, the design of the building breaks the building mid-block, coinciding with the main building entry. Variation in color, material and façade rhythm between the north and south halves of the building help accentuate this break. The building follows the curved lot line as it faces 27th Street, and presents a unique set of gestures and materials at this location to highlight this important corner. There are numerous changes of plane, balconies and other projections that add visual interest throughout all faces of the building. High quality exterior materials are used, including stone, brick, glass, metal wall panels, and cement plaster. Resident amenities include lobby, mail room, fitness room, bike parking, dog grooming, and clubhouse, along with three courtyards at the second level of the building.

HANOVER BROADWAY

TCA Architect - Jul 01, 2024

Hanover Broadway is a seven-story mixed use residential and commercial project that consists of 254 apartments. There is 33,100 SF of ground floor retail on Broadway and an additional 3,900 SF of restaurant space facing a new plaza at 27th and Valdez. Resident amenities include fitness facility, bike parking, dog grooming, clubhouse, and a rooftop deck with barbecues and expansive views of Oakland and the East Bay. Exterior materials include stone, brick, glass, cementitious wall panels, and cement plaster. The design of the building includes changes of plane, shadow lines, balconies and other projections, subtle color and material changes and other architectural elements.

ANTON LADERA

TCA Architect - Jun 30, 2024

Anton Ladera responds to the growing population of the Bay Area tech cities in Mountain View, CA. The community contains 144 apartment units in four residential levels over two below-grade levels of garage. The podium style building is oriented around two courtyards; which open onto a heavily amenitized ground floor including the leasing office, club room, fitness center, bicycle repair, lounge. Tenants also enjoy access to two-podium courtyards, pool/spas, BBQs, private resident patios, a dog park, game lawns and roof deck.

THE CAMDEN

TCA Architect - Jun 25, 2024

Located on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, The Camden offers a sophisticated respite from the energetic Hollywood lifestyle. Four stone clad towers provide simple yet elegant massing framing street-adjacent elevated courtyards that allow residents to engage with the neighborhood. The first floor entry lobby provides street-level activation and connects to a 39,000 square foot Equinox fitness center. The site once held the first production building for the fledgling Paramount Pictures. As a nod to the site’s history, the base of the building’s four towers, include a public art wall with interpretative life-size iconic Hollywood characters. Aimed at young entertainment professionals living and working in Hollywood, the 287-unit elegant residential community blends chic apartment living with the hospitality of a boutique hotel. The community offers residents 24-hr concierge service including custom “life-style packages” where residents receive premier access to Hollywood’s hottest restaurants, nightclubs, entertainment venues, spa services and more. The amenity program includes movie-screening lounge, clubhouse, pool/spa and multiple themed outdoor courtyards. “The hub,” is a unique double-height lounge that connects large indoor-outdoor spaces with a gourmet kitchen, living room, and study. The pool courtyard provides entertainment and relaxation with private cabanas, daybeds and an outdoor movie screen. The Camden is a LEED Silver-certified project.

G12

TCA Architect - Jun 13, 2024

G12 reflects the rapidly transforming Los Angeles South Park neighborhood. The design was inspired by the neighborhood’s shift from commercial to mixed use. At the corner plaza, intersecting architectures reflect two of the area’s existing block building typologies. G12’s narrow facade mimics the exposed side of the neighborhood’s commercial buildings, with random patterns of various-sized windows. At the corner plaza, contrasting materials of grey aluminum panels and white cement panels reinforce the notion of intersecting architectures. This intersection also contributes to a reduction in scale consistent with the neighborhood. An atrium space links the second-floor courtyards with a hotel-like entry lobby, providing natural light and landscaping, which terraces down the volume into the first floor. A double-height, concrete-framed second floor accommodates mezzanine units with generous views towards the courtyards and outdoor amenity spaces. A top-floor sunning deck with a sculptural frame provides dramatic city views.