Playa Vista Phase II

Location: Los Angeles, California, USA

Client: Playa Capital Company, LLC

As one of the largest additions to the urban fabric of Los Angeles, the 1000-acre Playa Vista development that replaced the Howard Hughes Corporation’s aeronautics engineering campus and airstrip was widely heralded as a new urbanist model of infill redevelopment. Upon completion and occupancy of its first phase, however, the project’s developer, Playa Capital Company, undertook an evaluation of its earlier developments and determined that design standards needed revision so that Phase II projects would yield a higher quality outcome. Prepared as a supplemental document to the Playa Vista Specific Plan, the resulting framework and standards are a form-based approach to establishing urban design character for the largest new development on the west side of Los Angeles.

A series of framework principles were defined for future design and development, including: (1) establishing the street and park spaces as the most important element of public space with buildings that support their spatial definition; (2) establishing a distribution of compatible land uses and housing mix that supports a vibrant public realm; (3) defining an architecture that is straightforward and clear and that honors timeless architectural conventions; (4) controlling private parking access through planning and design that emphasizes a pedestrian-oriented streetscape; and (5) establishing a network of landscaped pedestrian paths as part of a walkable block structure. Considerations also included detailed design guidelines for the project’s mixed-use Town Center (which the firm eventually designed), to include 360,000 square feet of commercial development with more than 200 housing units, some above the commercial development.

Services

Urban Design, Form-based Development Design Standards and Guidelines

Program

Residential neighborhoods, ‘Silicon Beach’ office, media and entertainment facilities, Playa Vista Town Center with 200 residential units and 360,000 sq. ft. of retail, and public open space

Site Area

111 acres

Completion Date

2006

Awards

  • APA California, Planning Award
  • APA Los Angeles, Planning Award

Unlock your Vision

Creative endeavors begin with great friendships. Discover how Johnson Fain can work with your group to translate an idea into an award-winning, community engaging environment.