Revitalizing the Exposition/ University Park area, and playing a critical role in much needed affordable housing, The Rise stands tall. The building’s progressive design thoughtfully blends privacy, safety, and open space to provide a new, dignified home to 57 previously homeless veterans. The mixed-use complex also offers Intensive Case Management services to all The Rise residents and serves as the home to Rise Financial Pathways, a non-profit Community Development Financial Institution that offers comprehensive and innovative ways to build wealth for historically underserved residents and small business owners throughout Los Angeles.
Architectural Vision
The vision for The Rise uses the variance of natural sunlight to create harmony between communal, intimate, and private outdoor spaces overlapping and stacking to define a vertical living community. The composition (influenced by the artist László Moholy-Nagy), and juxtaposition of spaces allow for natural air movement throughout the building.
Every day, residents will experience a wash of sunlight throughout the internal spaces in the community. From the first morning light to evening dusk, direct light is reflected, cascading throughout the common courtyard. Based on solar modeling, the building’s multiple levels and roof decks feature openings positioned to allow light to step down from the top floor all the way into the heart of the courtyard. Defined shadows act as sundials, and screens create shadows stippled on walkways in varying tones.
The use of a meditative garden designed with individual seating elements creates a destination for contemplation. The various roof decks help to foster greater community cohesion as well, providing a space for residents to interact with one another and enjoy the health benefits of the outdoors.
Prevalent throughout the building is the use of accent color, with the courtyard featuring a large Burnt Sienna façade, which reflects sunlit color throughout the building, varying from dawn to dusk. The bright inviting exterior marquee color, which frames the building in the urban context, creates a destination point leading from the exterior through the main residential lobby. The coloring elegantly sets the building in the landscape and commands the attention of those nearby.
Sustainability
The GreenPoint Rated Gold project looked at 5 different categories – water, energy, resources, community, and IAQ/Health – to identify sustainable and best management practices to implement. The building features Solar Hot Water Systems that transfer thermal energy to preheat domestic hot water, reducing the use of natural gas, as well as low-VOC and high durability finishes to increase its useful life and reduce long-term construction waste. The building is equipped with energy star appliances, an air conditioning system with a high-efficiency variable rate flow (VRF), independent fresh air intake vents in each unit, and a stormwater filtration system.
Awards and Other:
The Rise was featured in Green Home Builder Magazine, 2021
The Rise received a citation award for the AIA LA Residential Architecture Awards, 2021
