Renderings of Frank Gehry’s new project.
Photo: courtesy Gehry Partners.
Frank Gehry has big plans for Sunset Boulevard.
Renderings of his proposed $300 million LA project have been released, and images reveal a group of five distinct buildings to be used for residential, retail, and entertainment purposes, according to Curbed. They will be linked by an open public space, which will serve pedestrians and cyclists.
“We’re hoping to create a sustainable, livable, walkable community,” developer Tyler Siegel, cofounder of Townscape Partners, told Architectural Record. The 333,600-square-foot project will have 249 residential units and 65,700 square feet reserved for retail shops, distributed at the base of the structures, which will sit on 8150 Sunset Boulevard.
Renderings of Frank Gehry’s new project.
Photo: courtesy Gehry Partners.
Gehry’s new construction will occupy the former site of legendary hotel Garden of Allah, which was ignominiously turned into a strip mall. The partners considered revamping the buildings, but decided against it after talks with local stakeholders. Instead they opted to build something special to echo the location’s history.
“The design, which is not finished, has a sculptural quality that will make it an interesting place to come to,” Gehry stated. The renderings show the starchitect’s signature curved and wavy details in each facade.
Some residents weren’t happy about the prospect of skyscrapers popping up on the famous street. But after seeing the proposed design, the group Save Sunset Boulevard was on board. The group said in a statement on their site that Gehry “transformed the project from something that looked like an airport hotel into a landmark design.”
The site’s plan is to be submitted for Environmental Impact Review this month, and if it gets approved, the developers hope to start construction in 2016 or early 2017.
For those in need of more Gehry in the meantime: This September, the architect will have a museum retrospective at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art,
Renderings of Frank Gehry’s new project.
Photo: courtesy Gehry Partners.
Related stories:
What Happens to PS1’s Young Architect’s Program Projects?