TCA Architects

Brooklyn Basin Parcel H

tcaeditor - May 10, 2024

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.

Mass Timber Pavilion

tcaeditor - May 05, 2024

TCA renovated a single-story building of 11,500 SF to accommodate our Orange County team of 55 employees. Design features include a custom Mass Timber Pavilion which encompasses the large main conference room and extends out over the adjacent kitchen area. Mass timber has several health benefits, including:

Improved indoor air quality: Mass timber has natural moisture-regulating properties, which can help to improve indoor air quality. Unlike traditional building materials, mass timber does not off-gas harmful chemicals into the air, making it a healthier option for occupants.

Biophilic design: Mass timber buildings can incorporate biophilic design, which is the concept of connecting people with nature through design. Biophilic design has been shown to reduce stress and improve overall health and well-being.

Acoustic properties: Mass timber has excellent acoustic properties, which can help to reduce noise levels in buildings. This can improve the overall comfort and well-being of occupants.

Fire safety: Mass timber is highly fire-resistant due to its thick, solid composition. It also has a natural charring effect, which helps to protect the timber from fire damage. This makes mass timber buildings safer for occupants in the event of a fire.

Overall, mass timber has several health benefits that make it an attractive option for sustainable and healthy building construction, especially in office environments.

Homecoming at the Preserve

tcaeditor - Apr 13, 2024

Homecoming at the Preserve is a 26.7 acre community that offers luxury living in California Spanish style apartments and townhomes. The extensive amenities program includes two expansive clubhouses with features such as interactive and social game rooms, comfortable resident lounges, 24-hour fitness center with Yoga Studio, resident gourmet kitchens to entertain in, learning centers, cyber cafes with wi-fi, beach entry pool, community garden, and dog park.

Original design and entitlement by KTGY, with Architect of Record services by TCA.

CITY LIGHTS RENOVATION

tcaeditor - Apr 06, 2024

City Lights at Town Center is a renovation of the 2-story amenity building and pool area within an existing apartment community. Portions of the current building footprint were demolished and built out to the former column/roof line of the building, taking space that was an exterior colonnade and capturing it as interior conditioned space. The overall building footprint remained about the same by expanding into under-utilized space to create more usable amenity spaces for tenants. These new spaces include: a refreshed clubroom that faces out to the pool, conference room, newly located offices and leasing area, work room and fitness, new mail and parcel locker, co-workspace, decks and outdoor covered areas. The existing outdoor areas are upgraded with expanded/enhanced planters, BBQ areas, lounge seating, cabanas and overhead festival lighting. The exterior material palette for the renovation adds a modern twist with a complimentary approach to the previous architecture style.

CAMDEN GLENDALE

TCA Architect - Apr 01, 2024

Camden’s Glendale Triangle includes 287 units and 16,500 square feet of retail. The Type III building consists of five levels of wood over retail and mezzanine parking. The blade’s strong architecture statement denotes the entry to the City of Glendale. The triangular shape of the site and neighborhood context also influenced the design. Each facade was addressed by using different scales, massing, and setbacks as well incorporating balconies and live/work lofts where necessary. Similarly, three major surrounding streets respond to varying conditions and contextual opportunities to allow the infill project to expand the neighborhood experience. Camden Glendale achieved GreenPoint Rated Platinum certification.

Millennium Mission Valley

TCA Architect - Mar 25, 2024

Millennium Mission Valley is a mixed-use apartment project on a 5.37 Acre site in San Diego, providing 291 residential and 14 shopkeeper units. Fundamental to the design is the connection of pedestrian access to and from the site. The design team held the building edge 20 feet back from the curb and carved out a 4,000 square-foot space for a central public plaza to provide a vibrant, pedestrian-oriented atmosphere. They located the project’s “front door” adjacent to a large public plaza to allow for a sense of arrival shared pedestrian experience. Courtyards offer multiple social areas to allow for a visual interaction with the central retail plaza. The retail awnings and storefronts along the ground level help to reduce the scale of the building along pedestrian frontages while allowing for views into public areas of the building. Architectural elements anchor key corners while punched openings and cantilevered balconies provide relief and texture; working to further break down the scale of the massing.

ONYX

TCA Architect - Mar 20, 2024

Onyx blends traditional building façade design with contemporary colors, materials and an implied kinetic energy through playful fenestration patterns. Colorful glass guardrails reinforce this dynamism and are highlighted with architectural lighting. As an urban infill development, commercial spaces and residential entry lobbies connect the building to the public way, and employ large stone bases to help ground the building and reinforce these connections. A colorful, full-height-glazed building entry at the back of the entry court activates the formal entry, in addition to this South Park, Los Angeles street scene. Floor-to-ceiling storefront glazing at the top floor completes the top of the traditional building façade, and is articulated in contemporary mannerisms throughout.

Original design and entitlement by Kanner Architects, with Architect of Record services by TCA.

Tustin Legacy Master Plan

tcaeditor - Mar 15, 2024

Naval Air Station Santa Ana, established in 1942 and known as the “Lighter Than Airbase,” is renowned for its two iconic blimp hangars in Southern California. Although the base closed in the early 90s, its architectural significance endured, influencing the development of Orange County’s central landscape. Tragically, one of the hangars was lost to fire, but the surviving hangar continues to be a prominent feature in the master plan developed over the past thirty years.

Next to the established entertainment district lies a tract of undeveloped land. Originally intended for a 6-acre apartment project, the plans evolved to encompass over 50 acres of mixed-use housing typologies. Numerous visioning initiatives were undertaken to enhance circulation, create a sense of place, and develop an iconic design that integrates with the existing context. The current and proposed road framework and park system present both opportunities and challenges. Scenarios and massing studies focused on transforming the automobile-centric design into a pedestrian-friendly environment that complements the proposed park system.

The final master plan introduces up to 3,000 units in various product typologies and massing scenarios. The mix of product types, placement of community-serving retail, parks, and pedestrian connectivity establish a vibrant center for the Tustin Legacy Master Plan.

Orchard Park Interiors

tcaeditor - Mar 10, 2024

Orchard Park is a student housing project located at UC Davis. The interior design consisted of residential design including common areas, corridors and units. The scope also included two community buildings. This project was unique in that there are two separate housing components – graduate and family housing. This along with the architecture led to the evolution of two different concepts that would co-exist on the property. The graduate concept being “greenhouse vibes” – a fun and eclectic vibe, with medium wood tones, industrial metals, mix of indoor/outdoor furniture set against an A-frame backdrop. The family concept was coined “the treehouse” to playfully create an experience for adults and children. This concept had a strong wood component, highlighting shades of green, tree forms as inspiration and hammock details in the furniture. Overall the project design intent has a vernacular and indoor/outdoor feel to connect with its location. Also to be playful, modern and approachable for the residents to enjoy.

The Residences at Airport Village

tcaeditor - Mar 05, 2024

The Residences at Airport Village is a 6-story 444 units luxury apartment building, with 5 levels of residential apartments over 1 level on-grade parking garage and 1 level of subterranean parking. The project will have units consisting of studios, one-bedrooms, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units. The architectural style is responsive to the context of John Wayne International Airport and the surrounding office and commercial uses, providing materials and colors that respect the surrounding aesthetic while providing a new and distinctive aesthetic to the Newport Beach Airport Area. The courtyard provides two separate experiences: an active club style area with a resort-style pool, spa, and other amenities and a relaxation and wellness focused area with a lap pool, spa, and business center. These two areas are connected with a central covered courtyard amenity space designed to be an outdoor clubroom with entertainment areas, lounge seating, and a bar. In addition to the amenities provided on the podium courtyard, the project provides an amenity stack, this area consists of wellness-focused and entertaining-focused amenities. A connected trail loop system provides pedestrian site access around the site and to the surrounding public streets.