Architecture

When downtown Los Angeles' office buildings first started sprouting up, the city had a very different attitude about civic plazas. Most of those spaces were empty, windswept concrete yards, not places of dynamic urban activity or real civic engagement. AC Martin’s recent renovation of a modernist plaza outside this major downtown high-rise is a good example of how this attitude has changed. Solutions implemented on this project include:

• A once-barren space was filled with an intricate network of elements that would make it as walkable, sittable, and people-friendly.
• A diagonal pattern of stone pavers, which lead visitors to and from the main entry embraces the urban grid.
• Artful use of illuminated colored glass boxes lining the entryways provide clear wayfinding.
• Alternating light and dark pavers and Palo Verde trees that create dappled light help to offset the heat island effect.
• The new landscape design, comprised mostly of droughttolerant succulent gardens in dark brown oxidized Cor-ten steel planter boxes. Water features, seating areas, and orange umbrellas were added to provide a lush protective backdrop against the bustling city traffic.
• The buildingís terraced storefronts were re-imagined to include new steel blade signage that not only unifies the facades but also gives the shops a new sophistication.

444 South Flower - Landmark

AC Martin’s design for Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Newport Beach was conceived to reinforce the worshipper’s experience. Through the development of layered spaces and light levels, noble and permanent materials, and a strong sense of procession, the parishioner is transported from the surrounding environment into a more reverent and spiritual space and experience.  

Completed in 1928, Los Angeles City Hall, a joint venture of Albert C. Martin, John Parkinson, and John Austin, was the city’s tallest building for more than 30 years. The iconic building features a 452' high central tower rising from a two-story base, flanked by wings to the north and south.

By the 21st century, hundreds of earthquakes had shaken the building. While the building’s foundation, footings, granite base, and structural steel remained strong and intact, the unreinforced masonry walls had suffered over time, necessitating a seismic retrofit. The renovation included seismic strengthening, life safety and accessibility code upgrades, and preservation of historically significant building elements. The plan also included base isolation of the structure. Approximately 414 base isolators were inserted into columns and under walls of the building just below the existing basement level and just above the existing foundation system. Installation of the isolators required the construction of a new basement-level structural slab. 

Additionally, reinforced concrete shear walls were added to strengthen existing masonry walls. A four-foot-wide underground moat, hidden from view, surrounds the perimeter of the building to allow for movement during seismic events. Once completed, the renovation was nearly invisible, allowing the historic building to retain its identity and splendor.

Los Angeles City Hall - Landmark

The former Los Angeles headquarters building for Wells Fargo Bank (renamed Citigroup Center) is set back from the northeast corner of 5th and Flower Streets, in the heart of the central city. This 1,264,550 SF, stepped tower rises 48 stories above a four-level, tiered base interwoven with garden offices, plazas and pedestrian bridges. These bridges connect with the City National Plaza Garage on the north and the Bonaventure Hotel across Flower Street. The site is handled as a transitional development, connecting upper Bunker Hill with the downtown financial community.

Energy efficient design solutions for the steel framed structure include mirrored insulating glass windows, and a stainless steel skin for more effective atmosphere corrosion resistance. With the stepped tower design, the facade steps counter the elevator bank drop-offs, as the building rises, providing constant lease depth. There are four elevator banks with a total of 22 elevators in all (5 low-rise, 6 low-mid-rise, 5 mid-high rise, 5 high-rise and 1 freight elevator.) The leasing depths vary from 49 feet in parts of the low-rise floors, to 35 feet in parts of the high-rise floors. The gross square footage per floor is 23,765 in the low -rise floors; 22,865SF in the mid-low; 19,140 SF in the mid-high rise, and 15,415 SF in the high-rise floors. A substantial amount of on-site parking is provided by a three-level parking structure under the tower.

In 2008 the Hines Company acquired the property and AC Martin designed the renovation for the plaza, transforming it into an exciting new public space for the building and the city.

444 South Flower - Plaza Renovation

One of the largest skyscraper developments in the West, ARCO Plaza (renamed City National Plaza) is strategically located in the center of the downtown Los Angeles financial and business community on an approximate four-acre site, with immediate access to the freeway system.

Set on an inclined site, the twin 52-story towers rise 699 feet from an openly designed, granite paved plaza at the Flower Street level with a "jewel box" office located between. The three buildings house 10,000 people in approximately 2,500,000 SF of floor space. On-site parking for 450 cars is provided in a one-level garage below the plaza, supplemented by an off-site structure for 2,350 cars. Below the on-site garage is a completely enclosed two-level, air conditioned shopping concourse of more than 53 shops and restaurants.

The buildings have a structural frame of steel covered with highly polished panels of forest green granite and panels of solar bronze glass, set in a disciplined pattern of extreme simplicity.

AC Martin designed this 1,000,000-SF, 52-story landmark office tower on the site bounded by Wilshire Boulevard, Sixth Street and Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles.

Rotated 45 degrees from the grid of the City, the building includes a plaza with a major fountain at the corner of Sixth and Wilshire and ground floor amenities, such as high quality fast food and retail shops, a large mezzanine, and a very high, dramatic lobby space. Specifically oriented to users such as large banks, legal and accounting firms, the building is configured to provide 25,000-SF floors with a 42-foot lease depth.

The overall result of this design is an elegant building with a dynamic base, rich in architectural space and character. The relatively simple middle section of the tower is highly functional, yet pleasing in composition, and the special form of the top adds strong identity to the Los Angeles skyline. The building has a very elegant and refined composition with many vertical elements, giving the tower a graceful appearance.

E.L. Cord was the proprietor of the Los Angeles' Auburn Cord and Duesenberg outlet. AC Martin recieved the commission  in 1931 to design a five-story administrative building fronted by a deluxe showroom. Located at Wilshire and Alexandria, it became the backdrop for automotive advertisment, which included Vogue Magazine.

We completed Architectural and MEP Engineering services for the Tenant Improvement at CSU East Bay Oakland Center. This Oakland Student Center consists of approximately 7,500 sf of existing space. Our team designed, renovated, and expanded the space to approximately 16,500 sf. This all-inclusive facility is equipped with high speed WIFI and AV equipment, LCD projectors, whiteboards, and tele-conferencing abilities. The design intent was to provide additional resource space to the many graduate program students who are on site most of the day, including additional classrooms, two student lounges, study rooms and hoteling space.

Direct Relief is a non-profit firm providing Medical Disaster Relief Material to hard-hit communities worldwide. We provided architectural services for their new 159,000 sf Headquarters and Distribution facility located in Santa Barbara, CA. This project features 122,000 sf of warehouse space, 3,400 sf cold storage, and a 34,000 sf 2-story office. The office includes several large assembly spaces to accommodate volunteers.