City Lofts

Venice, CA
1999
6-unit Condominium

Located on the outer edge of Abbot Kinney Blvd, this six-unit project incorporates itself within the artistic center of Venice by providing a space where the line between a living and working environment is blurred.

The overall form is a warehouse expressed with an exposed concrete block structure, a bowed roof and large rolling doors on the exterior of each unit. Gestures of a skewed grid and a carved exterior orient the building toward the Abbot Kinney community. The individual units rest within the warehouse, occupying the space, rather than defining the exterior volume.

In plan, the building is divided into thirds. Within each of the three spaces, a party wall is inserted with a reflected angle to create a trapezoidal unit plan allowing for spatial variation and subtle perspective illusions. These inserted wood framed walls make six units with bedroom, bathroom and study spaces floating above on the second level.

The idea of a reused inhabited space is defined by the dialogue between the refined volumes floating within the rough warehouse structure.

William Adams FAIA
Telemachus Studio
Photography: Tom Bonner