Gehry Unveils Sunset Strip Build Designs

LOS ANGELES—Frank Gehry has unveiled his designs for Townscape Partners' mixed-use development on the east end of the Sunset Strip at 8150 Sunset Blvd. The developers gave Gehry freedom to design the project, and he returned with a stunning masterpiece. The site will feature five interconnected structures, which will house two residential buildings as well as buildings for retail, public gathering and entertainment. The plan will be submitted for Environmental Impact Review this month.

“Having worked with Gehry's office before, John and I talked at length about how much or little direction we gave to kick-off the design process,” Tyler Siegel of Townscape Partners tells GlobeSt.com. “With Frank coming off of the Louis Vuitton Foundation project in Paris, in our opinion one of the most amazing buildings ever produced, we felt like his creativity was peaking and we wanted that magic in our project. So we elected to give Frank and his team only a specific program and some basic contextual and massing guidelines that were derived from the Environmental Impact Report, but nothing beyond that.”

The 334,000-square-foot property includes a three-story retail building and an 11-story and 15-story residential tower, housing 249 apartment and condo units. The property also includes green space between the two buildings, which was a concern of the community during the original site planning. The property will be built to LEED certification standards and will be designated a California Environmental Leadership Development Project.

A street-level plaza unites the five structures, while each maintain singular character and style. A glass curtain and marquee are the defining features of the ground-level retail building, which will open up to an open courtyard—the “jewel” or “heart” of the property. The residential buildings, on the other hand, are scaled to conform to the surrounding residential landmarks, including the adjacent Chateau Marmont. The buildings have a glazed façade and are sculptural, evoking movement. “We love how the design takes an already large site and packs it full of interest and discovery both horizontally and vertically to create an enormous variety of experiences that residents and visitors can have throughout the project.  Further, the five separate and distinct buildings, and the elimination of a traditional podium, create a design language that has an immense amount of sophistication and intrigue,” says Siegel and his partner John Irwin. “There is so much thought into the integration and functionality of the program, the context of the site, the massing of the buildings and the interplay of forms and materials. We are blown away by the conceptual design and as Frank tells us, “it will get better.” We have learned to believe him.”

The project was first announced earlier this year, and is still in the preplanning stages.