Leaders Aim to Boost L.A. Investment During Asian Trade Mission

Mayor Eric Garcetti recently gathered local government and business leaders for a 10-day trade mission through Asia with the goal of increasing Asian investment and tourism in Los Angeles, as well as promoting open and free trade. The trip toured Tokyo, Seoul, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hong Kong and included the mayor, City Council members and a business delegation that included members across industries. L.A.-based architectural firm Jerde’s CFO and SVP Paul Martinkovic joined the trip to share insights about creating density through transit-oriented development and mixed-use development—which Asia is known for—in Los Angeles.

“Our firm is a good example of what the trade mission was aiming to accomplish, in that we have not only had success in designing great projects overseas, but we’ve also brought business back to Los Angeles in the form of foreign investors looking to find projects here,” Martinkovic tells GlobeSt.com. Jerde has worked on several projects throughout Asia, including Tokyo’s Roppongi Hills, D-Cube City in Seoul, and Langham Place in Hong Kong.  “I opened Jerde’s Asia office back in 2000 so I brought firsthand experience to the trip,” adds Martinkovic.

Jerde joined the trip to contribute its experience designing projects in the markets toured, particularly in TOD and mixed-use models. During the trip, Martinkovic emphasized the importance of placemaking in the design process. “I was able to talk about how our design experience in Asia can also work in Los Angeles,” he says. “I was able to illustrate, through the projects we’ve done in the countries we visited that our core philosophy behind our work has always been placemaking. We care as much about the impact our project is going to have on a community as we do about the actual design.  So it’s important for us to take this focus on community and direct it in our own backyard, to become even further engaged with and invested in the development of Los Angeles.”