Winter Is Coming

a modern chalet

There is a romance and an abstract beauty to cold weather… especially for a design studio based in LA! So when we got to work on this ‘chalet’ in the Lemont neighborhood of Chicago, where the weather is known by long, freezing and windy winters, we jumped at the idea of creating a modern apparition veiled in snow. Working with existing architecture we redesigned this residential exterior to respond to the beauty of cold weather of the Great Lake region. We kept the dominant lines of the facade with the scaling sloped roof and the glass block vertical beacon and added horizontal slits to manipulate the proportions of the window openings. The result is a streamlined facade with minimal visual clutter. Yeh, that’s a Tesla truck in the driveway ;)

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snowflake

It was also important to us to create an effect of lightness for such an enormous house and have the house instead recede into its natural setting. There is something silently heroic in the way this building responds to the very harsh conditions of its surroundings. The siting and the way the structure integrates into the slopes, its fluttering, slanted roof planes almost make it seem as if the ice wrinkled and produced a shelter there. Winter teaches us a vigilance, rigor and resilience like no other season. Winter invites contemplation and a search for meaning and growth.

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home office

working smarter

How productive are you at your home office desk? Is your space isolated from all the other activities in your home? Do you have access to natural light? Is your chair comfy? All these little details play an important role in the way you work from home… In this home office we used system furniture to streamline the desk surfaces and minimize distractions. Diffused natural light coming from the glass block wall feature floods and energizes the space. An elevated loft serves as a cozy escape for reading and inspiration… OK great, now let’s get back to work!!!

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let’s go

Some tunes to help with the flow!

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pluralists. problem solvers. people people.

Plāna is a Los Angeles based architecture studio rooted in design, ecological and social sustainability and effective project management. We want our end product to be a catalyst for positive personal, social and environmental change and be a source of inspiration and joy. Our aesthetic is timeless and streamlined. We develop solutions come from a deep understanding of our clients needs. And we stay around until they are implemented. We enjoy and celebrate the diversity of our clients that include schools, landowners and developers, private individuals and public institutions.

material girl

a poised palette

When selecting materials for a project we often start with the mood we would like to evoke. In this case we wanted this office building lobby to feel modern, light and warm. Whenever possible we used natural materials and synthetic materials when not. When using the latter we always convey the true nature of the material - for instance, vinyl will never be wood so why does it have to pretend (like in many LVT products)? The materials always need to work with each other and end up forming a family. Paint colors respond to the warmth, saturation and contrast of the other materials in a room for example. Echoes of one material find their way from one area to the next. Scale and light are also important…

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let’s get physical

When we work with materials, we often not only work with samples and textures but often request mockups of major building elements and custom features. Architecture occupies physical space, as do we in spite of technology, and it is important to test certain features ahead of time for their overall appearance, relationship with other building elements, longevity, etc. When was the last time you were impressed by a stone when you touched the counter at a bank, the particular way the sun hit a building facade making it sparkle or the tactile nature of draperies in a theater? Let this be an invitation to experience and lean into our environments, their materiality and enjoy…

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pluralists. problem solvers. people people.

Plāna is a Los Angeles based architecture studio rooted in design, ecological and social sustainability and effective project management. We want our end product to be a catalyst for positive personal, social and environmental change and be a source of inspiration and joy. Our aesthetic is timeless and streamlined. We develop solutions come from a deep understanding of our clients needs. And we stay around until they are implemented. We enjoy and celebrate the diversity of our clients that include schools, landowners and developers, private individuals and public institutions.

back to school

always learning

As the school year gets rolling what can we take away from this momentum and apply it to our own lives and schedules. Taking cues from our recent work on education projects, we contemplate the various learning modes and marvel at the beauty of learning as well as academic and personal growth. Collaboration and social interaction, focused work, art, technology, ideation and imagination, physical activity and observing nature and its creatures are only a few of the forms learning happens through. Some of us are visual while others are audible or hands-on and experimental. As architects and designers, it is our job to capture all of these various forms of learning into a universal microcosm of learning called the classroom. The classroom is a teacher’s toolbox, always shifting and changing to the various activities taking place from instruction to art projects, reading and projection of educational films. The classroom is also a canvas, reflecting students’ progress as well as the school’s values and culture. We can’t help but wonder if this designated space for learning can continue beyond its walls and beyond the confines of institutions and find its way to our own lives where it can do the same. Are you still learning?

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planning for flexibility

In a recent study of classroom furniture we looked to provide flexible seating arrangements while working with technology and other AV requirements within each space. Teacher desks and storage, areas for reading and small group study and collaboration were also carefully considered and planned for. As with most designs, we start with the development of a concise programming document outlining the activities and end-uses of each space and the proposed means of achieving them both physical and operational. Throughout the design process we will constantly refer back to this document. Early planning for furniture (FF&E) is critical in the design of spaces and the ultimate architecture of educational facilities.

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minimalist homes

the concept

What happens when a client asks for a minimalist design and has a specific vision about the space being predominantly bare? Most people cringe at the thought of cold and empty spaces and are familiar with minimalism yet are somehow not at ease with it. When we think of places where we live we want them to be warm and inviting and we want to surround ourselves with things, objects and memories that remind us of our experiences or represent something about us. But what if this absence of content is an invitation to open up to new possibilities, to breathe and to think without distractions, to relax and recharge in a space as light and luminous as possible.

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the project

This Great Lake retreat was conceived for a young entrepreneur that values moments of stillness amidst a very dynamic career life. The original residence was updated with strategic strokes to open up spaces, update finishes and simplify and streamline spatial and functional aspects of the home. Minimal furnishings support the idea of ‘less is more’ and ample built in storage allows for books and other objects to be at hand while out of sight.

Now some Chicago jazz to set the mood…

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pluralists. problem solvers. people people.

Plāna is a Los Angeles based architecture studio rooted in design, ecological and social sustainability and effective project management. We want our end product to be a catalyst for positive personal, social and environmental change and be a source of inspiration and joy. Our aesthetic is timeless and streamlined. We develop solutions come from a deep understanding of our clients needs. And we stay around until they are implemented. We enjoy and celebrate the diversity of our clients that include schools, landowners and developers, private individuals and public institutions.

sweet dreams

… are made of this

When designing a perfect master bedroom retreat, there are a few key aspects for this room to remain a personal getaway and safe-haven. This special place is an expression of ones personality, hopes and dreams and is an intimate oasis. Simple yet sophisticated and furnished with only what’s most needed. No clutter! With plenty of storage, the right elegant furniture and a cozy reading or lounge area such as a modern fireplace with a comfortable chair to unwind from a busy day… What more could one ask for? Well, maybe a soundtrack…

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bodies of water

In the hot days of summer what can be better than making a splash! Water cools, cleanses and provides instant relaxation and stress relief. It perhaps reminds us of our primordial home, the ocean. It is life giving, transformative. We are mostly water. It erodes rock gently over millennia and cuts it forcefully in a laser beam at the stoneyard. It is nourishing and healing and can destroy entire cities instantly in a tsunami or by sinking it over centuries like Venice. It is elusive and will run through your fingers. It will wipe you out is you are a surfer. You can float on it endlessly.

Water has many effects - it flows, glistens, murmurs and glows when illuminated from within and is one of the most abundant resources in nature. Many cultures give it special meaning and use it as a symbol. In dreams water can stand for emotion itself. We’re getting metaphysical here…

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When used as a design element water has a tremendous impact on our wellbeing. In our Encino Hills project we used water to separate an art pavilion from the rest of an internal private court. In doing so we used water as a special boundary to another realm of creativity, play and contemplation. Water features integrated into the pool and spa provide pleasant white noise suitable for relaxation. LEDs illuminate the pool from within added color therapy and party effects. Simple materials such as smooth plaster, concrete pavers, stone and white gravel and native plants integrated into the surrounding hillside create an oasis and retreat from the Los Angeles bustle.

terrific TIs

meeting our clients’ needs

It’s a challenge to meet and understand the demands of today’s office space users, who are multitasking and collaborating, while also trying to stay focused on their individual work and privacy. As architects and designers, it is our goal to create office spaces that can enhance and stimulate both, making them user-centered, flexible, private and BEAUTIFUL.

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making space personal

For our El Camino TI project we looked to provide a specific number of private offices for an attorney office while providing multiple flexible areas, a speak easy bar conference room, basement theater and gaming amenities, art gallery space and convertible conference and event spaces. A rooftop deck features plenty of outdoor areas for events, fundraisers or simply to soak up the sun.

play + ground

Kids learn and grow on multiple levels in the classroom but outside of it as well. They read and write but they also learn through motion and through the senses. They observe and interact with their environment on so many levels. They interact with one another and they use their imagination and creativity… Play is such an important aspect of learning and development that we wanted to dedicate some thought to how we allow for more play to happen both in an academic setting and beyond.

learning and dreaming

To encourage play at its best we designed this Mondrian-esque court for a private school situated in a very compact urban campus in Los Angeles. In a very small footprint we incorporated a variety of spaces for both work and play! We used basic wooden and colored cubical components, divided and stacked into few zones, leaving enough open space for active and creative play. The cubes are set in multiple levels, creating platforms for social interaction, focused instruction, demonstrations, team huddles and reflective moments, like daydreaming!

well by design

#healthCARE

May 15th is mental health awareness day. Wellness has grown from a vaguely understood trend focusing mostly on physical parameters to a widespread phenomenon in its own right and now includes a heightened awareness of metal health as well. We look to incorporate wellness principles not just in clinics and hospitals but also in offices and homes. At the office for example, with more time being spent at work, it was natural to start incorporating live-work balance and even live-work blurring to make the employees’ time there more comfortable, enjoyable and ultimately more productive. How we feel at work is greatly attributed to how we perceive our office culture emotionally just as much our physical environment.

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the project

When we started working on a Foster Care Clinic within the Los Angeles County system, it was clear from the start that those typical small waiting rooms with no daylight, dark colored therapy rooms and uncomfortable crammed work offices won’t do anymore… On the contrary, the project was all about transparency, light and optimism. We specifically selected light pastel colors that would appeal to children and took that theme through the open plan administrative offices as well. It was about having the chance to put a smile on people’s faces, to encourage encounters and collaboration, and provide comfort through the use use warm materials and textures. To be a place that lifts spirits and boosts energy.

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pluralists. problem solvers. people people.

Plāna is a Los Angeles based architecture studio rooted in design, ecological and social sustainability and effective project management. We want our end product to be a catalyst for positive personal, social and environmental change and be a source of inspiration and joy. Our aesthetic is timeless and streamlined. We develop solutions come from a deep understanding of our clients needs. And we stay around until they are implemented. We enjoy and celebrate the diversity of our clients that include schools, landowners and developers, private individuals and public institutions.