TCA Architects

Brooklyn Basin Parcel H

tcaeditor - May 15, 2025

In a challenging market, TCA was asked to re-envision this approved development as two projects instead of one- a lower density Phase 1 of townhouses, and a higher density future Phase 2 that could be either a podium or tower, depending on market conditions. TCA’s novel solution for the first phase was “stacked towns”, which allowed the developer to bring to market a unique for-sale product at a higher density in Phase I. Phase 2 includes higher density podium or tower options. In a neighborhood of monotonous 8 story rental buildings, the design sought to exploit the differences with these prototypes. The 5 story- townhome project expresses the inherent verticality of the townhomes via a façade with deep incisions. The Phase 2 options anchor the prominent frontage on Clinton Basin with a singular large-scale façade expression for the podium, or a dramatic “blade of glass” that sits on an undulating base for the tower option.

CASPIAN

tcaeditor - Oct 18, 2024

Caspian is the gateway site into the Brooklyn Basin master plan located at Embarcadero and Brooklyn Basin Way. The building is broken down into multiple facades inspired by the Oakland Estuary and surrounding industrial maritime facilities, with the facades relating to each other to create a cohesive design. On Brooklyn Basin Way the retail takes priority with grand corners, deep recesses and rich materials to break down the street wall into a pleasant pedestrian environment. Bike facilities located on Embarcadero, help activate the street and encourage residents to use the new bike lanes connecting to the rest of Oakland. Multiple breaks; step downs and set backs scale down the size of the project. Large courtyards and roof decks provide ample outdoor space as well as view terraces. Facing the freeway, the nautical theme is played up with dramatic angles reminiscent of a ship’s bow which landmarks the entire Brooklyn Basin master plan.

5420 Sunset

tcaeditor - Oct 17, 2024

5420 Sunset is a six-story mixed-use 735-unit apartment building that will also house 95,000 SF of ground level retail. The retail level will be home to an up-scale national brand grocer offering food service and on-site dining. A new residential community will sit just above street level within lushly landscaped courts surrounding a resort style pool that looks out to the Hollywood hills, Griffin Observatory, and the Hollywood Sign. The buildings’ exterior design language reflects a piece of Hollywood’s history by evoking a modern interpretation of Art Deco and Streamline Moderne, with an emphasis on horizontality, simple forms, geometric patterns, and an earthy palette of material finishes.

PARK ON FIRST

tcaeditor - Oct 16, 2024

Park on First sits at the eastern entry to Santa Ana and is adjacent to Prentice Park and the Santa Ana Zoo. TCA planted the “seeds” for structural and environment improvements that would foster the future development of this challenged neighborhood… and lead to a district wide revitalization. The design concept resides between nature and the built environment so the public and residents can participate in the special nature of Prentice Park and adjacent zoo. The large central courtyard is strategically positioned between residential buildings to reinforce a “living in the park” environment while providing a publicly accessible and porous connection for future developments. The courtyard is activated with various amenities and landscaped in alignment with the zoo’s South African fauna. Each building facade uniquely responds to its context.

6TH STREET PLACE

tcaeditor - Oct 14, 2024

6th Street Place addresses the widespread homeless population of downtown Los Angeles. 6th Street Place uses modular construction, and services will be provided by The People Concern, a case management and advocacy organization with deep ties to the Skid Row community. The concept of community is at the core of the project’s design. Each pre-fabricated module is articulated individually on the façade, giving identity to the resident within it. Together, the modules form a cohesive building, just as a collection of individuals make a complete community. Not only does 6th Street Place provide much needed housing, but a strong sense of community through art and architecture. Built in a factory and assembled on site, modular design is environmentally friendly by reducing construction waste and impacts to the community.

PALOMA AT MAINPLACE

tcaeditor - Oct 12, 2024

Paloma at MainPlace is part of the first phase in what will be the transformation of MainPlace Mall to meet the demands of current and future market trends by weaving housing, businesses, and amenities into the fabric of the existing mall environment. The design of the 310 unit wrap building responds to the guiding principles, placemaking, and urban design strategies of the MainPlace Specific Plan with a focus on the arrival experience to brand an iconic destination, preserving an urban street that promotes a diversity of uses, playful treatment along MainPlace Drive that enhances the cultural experience and expression of Santa Ana, and the spaces in between which create a unique lifestyle experience.

ORCHARD PARK STUDENT HOUSING

tcaeditor - Oct 10, 2024

The Orchard Park design marries the rigor of the Prescient system with the playful, organic nature of a field of trees. The 19-acre site at UC Davis is a community of 11 graduate and family residential buildings and two amenity buildings. TCA designed the buildings to incorporate Prescient, a panelized light-gauge metal framing structural system. With an on-site assembly process, Prescient enabled the entire project to be built faster and with fewer costly on-site modifications. The TCA team embraced the efficiency of only 3 building types and oriented the buildings to introduce variety as they are nestled among the Heritage trees sprinkled throughout the site. Building rotation and variation of façade patterns helps reduce the tendency toward repetition naturally occurring from the Prescient system. Unique architectural details on the building corners help create memorable gateways and key intersections. Two smaller-scaled community buildings, appropriately, The Treehouse and The Greenhouse, then take the organic theme one step further, making the collegiate community feel more like a resort camp in the woods. These unique and playful buildings activate the site’s open space and blur the line between indoor and outdoor, providing a strong connection to nature.

Hanover Laguna Niguel

tcaeditor - Oct 10, 2024

Hanover Laguna Niguel is a contemporary style, 6-story wrap building. The development features high-quality amenities including a fitness center, swimming pool, courtyard, and co-working lounge, as well as a screening room and club room. Residents have easy access to I-5 and an abundance of retail, as well as a Metrolink Station located directly south of the community. The project’s massing exhibits a warm and inviting gesture through a deep mid-block entry for pedestrians and automobiles. The expansive ground floor amenity space and leasing office, adjacent to the main entry drive, provides the heart of the plan. The vision for this area was to create an urban village with a pedestrian-oriented streetscape. A large, high-visibility, fully-glazed element allows the public and residents to see into the project’s main amenity area while providing views of Oso Creek from the interior.

THE TOWNSEND

tcaeditor - Oct 08, 2024

The new high-density mixed-use apartment project on a 5.13 Acre site in Mission Valley, San Diego, provides 267 residential units and 10 shopkeeper units. The Type III apartment building wraps a 5-story Type I parking garage, and provides 3,600 square feet of commercial and 6,000 square feet of retail use. Organized around 3 courtyards which are programmed with residential amenities, the building’s architecture is designed in a contemporary style. Fundamental to the design is the connection of pedestrian access to and from the site. Holding the edge of the buildings 20 feet back from the curb of Camino De La Reina and carving out a 4,000 square-foot space for corner and central public plazas provides a vibrant, pedestrian-oriented atmosphere. Locating the project’s “front door” adjacent to the large central public plaza allows for a sense of arrival and shared pedestrian experience between residents and public visitors.

VOX AT CUMULUS

TCA Architect - Oct 06, 2024

Located directly adjacent to the La Cienega/Jefferson Expo Line, VOX at Cumulus is a comprehensive residential and commercial mixed-use project that embodies all the defining characteristics of a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). The site plan and architecture respond directly to the urban scale, fabric, and culture of its surroundings. The design is inspired by the notions of progress, change, and motion: the La Cienega frontage undulates back and forth to create a dynamic façade and to help break up the mass. VOX is a 7-story type III podium building, with access to 160,000 SF of indoor and outdoor amenities. The heart of the project features a publicly accessible 1-acre park, the Zocalo, and is flanked by 100k SF of commercial space, anchored by a new Whole Foods Market. In addition to providing a space for community events, such as movie nights and hosting food trucks, the Zocalo also serves to capture storm water and reduce the heat island effect. Those elements go hand-in-hand with more than 1,700 solar panels built into the complex, which helped the property achieve Green Point Rated Platinum status. The master plan of the 11.4 Acre Cumulus District is guided by the principles of connectivity and placemaking. Also, located on a portion of the site is a high-rise (ARQ at Cumulus) of approximately 290 units designed by SCB.