TCA Architects

888 SAN MATEO

TCA Architect - Jul 15, 2023

The project is located on an unusually narrow 3.08 acre site located at the southeast corner of Peninsula Ave and North San Mateo Drive. The site includes 2 residential buildings, totaling 4 stories in height and provides 155 studio, one and two bedroom units ranging from 590 – 1,070 square feet above a subterranean garage. The project achieved LEED Platinum certification and includes green features such as a self-service bike repair facility, on-site transportation outreach coordinator, informational kiosk and on-site sales of BART Clipper cards. A landscaped plaza with public art is located at the corner of North San Mateo and the property is within walking distance to the Burlingame Caltrain Station as well as bus route 292 which includes transportation to San Francisco. Parking was subterranean plus surface level.

THE LEX ON ORANGE

TCA Architect - Jun 25, 2023

The Lex on Orange is a mixed-use, high density, multifamily community in the heart of Downtown, Glendale. As envisioned by the Downtown Specific Plan, this project brings much needed high quality urban housing to the Orange Central District with proximity to jobs, shopping, cultural and entertainment activities enable future residents of this project to live, work, and play in one location without the dependence on automobiles. The Lex consists of 310 units (307 apartment units and 3 live/work units) in two separate buildings connected by a pedestrian bridge over the existing alley. Design strategies included creating a unique architectural feature while following a pre-defined datum set by the Legendary Tower. The live/work units were aligned with the ground floor creating a continuous wall at the pedestrian level. The west facing façade is shielded by a solar screen integrated railing system to aesthetically reduce solar gain and the upper corner unit was removed to provide a resident roof deck and allow for reduced massing and articulation.

WILSHIRE LA BREA

TCA Architect - Jun 05, 2023

Bounded by busy streets, Wilshire La Brea is the corner to bus stops in both directions and it will be adjacent to a future subway stop. It is bordered by smaller scale residential properties on two sides and book-ended by historic Los Angeles structures. To respond to the rich context of the site and the opportunity to create a truly urban transit-oriented community, the sidewalk will be widened along Wilshire Boulevard providing space for exterior dining and ample pedestrian passing. The southern tower has six levels of residences and the northern tower has thirteen. Both towers are arranged in a “wing” configuration, which creates building “fingers” that surround open-ended courtyards. The courtyards open to the east taking advantage of city skyline views and providing a more articulated building face to the adjacent residential neighborhood. The fingers also “step” down toward the east, dropping several stories from the high point to present a more modestly scaled façade facing the adjacent residential neighborhood. Wilshire La Brea is a LEED Silver-certified project.

5550 WILSHIRE

TCA Architect - Jun 03, 2023

5550 Wilshire transformed an under-utilized city block in Los Angeles while reinforcing the historic character of the neighborhood. Art Deco/Moderne exterior design details connect the building to its surroundings while thoroughly modern units and amenities offer residents a vibrant contemporary lifestyle. Some unusual constraints or opportunities that the project presented, for example: Mixed-use activity retail along Wilshire required separate parking and entry sequences into the building. Design imagery that acknowledges historic district while still being a contemporary building. Variety of unit designs to capture the site’s potential, especially articulating the corners on Wilshire. Switching to townhome plans for the upper two floors allowed for a stepped configuration characteristic of Art Deco façade with overall horizontal massing articulated with vertical modules.

Picerne Lomita

tcaeditor - May 25, 2023

Picerne Lomita was the first large development to be approved in a city that has not seen development in years. It will bring the first luxury apartments to the City of Lomita and serve the growing population that wants to live and work in the South Bay area. Situated on a major intersection, the project had to contend with a corner gas station and limited access. The project is designed to look at the “long views” of the hills beyond the gas station. The enhanced materials were placed on the project to bring visual attention to the top levels and major corners of the project, again drawing your eyes away from the existing context. The south facing main courtyard is designed with resort style pool and spa, with an adjacent clubroom and fitness amenity space. A business center and golf simulator are also available to the residents. The roof top deck looks down at the courtyard as well as the views beyond.

DOMAIN SAN DIEGO

TCA Architect - Sep 20, 2020

Domain San Diego is an ultra-modern, high-density apartment community designed to meet the needs of the young professionals and students of San Diego’s growing Millennial population. The luxury for-lease community offers 379 apartment residences in two separate, four-story buildings over two levels of basement garage offering 750 secured parking spaces. As a critical design element targeting the project’s young professional demographic, the property features a 5,500-square-foot recreation/leasing building that offers an expansive pool area with cabanas, a spa, barbeque pits, waterfall and trellises that take advantage of the area’s temperate weather, creating lush landscape. The two-story clubhouse also features a fitness center and makes use of reclaimed teak flooring throughout and a glass wall with outdoor decks overlooking the pool scene. With more than 12 floor plans to choose from, ranging from studio to two bedroom residences, Domain’s interior’s reflect a refined modern influence that is the preference of today’s young professionals, offering: private patios and balconies; modern, stainless steel appliances; granite counter tops; large and luxurious oval tubs; and floor to ceiling windows in select units.

Westgate

TCA Architect - Sep 15, 2020

Westgate is an 11.7 acre mixed-use TOD, and an urban-infill development within walking distance of Old Pasadena’s historic downtown including Pasadena’s Metro Gold Line Del Mar Station and Central Park. Westgate is LEED Silver Certified under the City of Pasadena’s Green Building Ordinance and is the first smoke-free community in Los Angeles County. The entire master plan includes 820 residences, 15,000 square feet of retail, two public parks, and two public plazas, with an overall density of 70 dwelling units per acre. The planning and entitlement process began in 2004 with numerous sessions working with City planners and engineers. Public design charettes with community members enabled residents and the local business community also to provide input and concerns. The project delivers on the City’s specific plan which calls for the site to provide an “eclectic urban village,” deliver housing and mixed use as a Smart Growth development and to redevelop a key downtown brown field site previously struggling with underuse.

THE VILLAS AT BRIO

TCA Architect - Sep 10, 2020

The Villas at Brio is a boutique apartment community located on a quiet residential street in Glendale, California that straddles the boundary of an adjacent industrial zone in this particular neighborhood. The project is comprised of 14, three story townhomes that average approximately 1,400 square feet on and elevated podium over a one story parking structure. Each unit is comprised of two bedrooms on the first and third floors with an open ‘living’ floor between on the second level and interconnected by open tread, cable rail stairs. The courtyard provides private access to each unit through front ‘porches’ which also serve as outdoor space and intended to promote social interaction among neighbors of this small community. Additional private outdoor space is provided by a balcony on the third floor off the master suite. Metal shingle siding, exposed steel channels, three story glass enclosed stairs and industrial aluminum windows play off the industrial character of the location and maximize light within each home. The wood fencing, refined landscaping and inviting interior pallet further enhance this unique contemporary community in this transitional corner of Glendale.

BRIO

TCA Architect - May 20, 2020

Brio is the ultimate in luxury resort-style living in the city of Glendale. Apartment home interiors include wood plank-style flooring, Caesarstone countertops, a stainless steel appliances, oversized tubs, walk-in closets, and full-size stacked washers and dryers. The property has surround-sound ambient music throughout and offers an impressive amenity package, featuring a resident’s club, resort-style pool and spa, Zen garden courtyard with cabanas, rooftop decks as well as a fitness center and digital game. The 2.55-acre development site is situated between four of Los Angeles County’s largest employment centers, including downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, Pasadena and Burbank. Brio is a five-story, podium-style building with a total of 186 units and a tri-level partially subterranean parking structure. The development also features 8,282 square feet of retail space along the heavily trafficked Colorado Street.

HIKARI

TCA Architect - May 01, 2020

Japanese for “light,” Hikari embodies the resurgence of Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo district. Once a dilapidated parking lot, the urban infill site compliments the growing neighborhood alive with students, new residents and a nightlife that was once unimaginable. The unusual pie-shaped site sits at a key juncture; an entryway accessing Little Tokyo and the resurging downtown area. Over 20 different floor plans were designed to fit this uncommon geometry and maximize city skyline views. The street orientations responded to the different nature of their community roles. Second Street is pedestrian-oriented and has a finer grain detail that terminates at the corner, an arrival point to this district.