Having forged a very successful relationship with  Park & Velayos, LLC on the Parson’s project in Pasadena, we were contacted again by the firm to produce a series of renderings for an important urban redevelopment project in Baldwin Hills, Los Angeles.

Once a thriving shopping mall in the Crenshaw district, the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza opened in 1947 and was actually the first post-war retail plaza in California. The oldest shopping mall in the US, it was once one of Los Angeles’ major attractions, and includes some significant Art Deco style buildings.

With the changing tide of on-the-ground retail, Capri Capital Partners, who purchased the site in 2010, have an eye towards making it once again a center for the community and a destination easily accessed by the upcoming Metro Rail stop.  Collaborating with a team that including RAW International and LRM Landscape Architecture, we created a series of renderings that hit the mark in capturing the spirit of the project and that proved to greatly help Capri Retail Advisors in their proposal.

As with many master-planning projects at the preliminary stage, there was little in the way of actual architectural design when we were commissioned, so we worked to create scenes of the kind of community using place holder architecture – retail and residential – that would speak to the potential of the project and the enhancement of the neighborhood.

With the client directing, views were selected that would tell the big story, showing how the former retail space would convert into residential, hotel, business and open community space.  Featuring the lovely landscaped grand stairway was an obvious choice as it will serve as the primary gateway to the new mall. Another view displays how the project will fit in with the existing buildings in this historic area and shows how businesses would interact with the area, including the relationship of the new Martin Luther King Metro Station.

On the opposite end of the site, a view features the hotel, gardens and pool area with a variety of amenities, adding a destination for events, weddings and business conventions.  The open space aerial view presented a great opportunity to show all of the residential amenities.  By creating views that featured the park, sports courts and barbecue areas, you can see how the community would interact with the new plan.

After 18 months of negotiation the project has received city approval and will be moving forward into the next phase of development.

Many thanks to Park & Velayos for their faith in us and to Capri Capital Partners for bringing us onboard. Nothing makes us happier than to see our client’s projects move on to construction!

Our renderings of the project were predominantly featured in articles about the Mall in the Los Angeles Business Journal, la.curbed.com , Bisnow.com, and the LA Times.

Distilling all of the information with sensitivity to design, context and the needs of the client to visualize something that can serve as a credible representation of your idea, what you want it to be, is a valuable part of the skills we have developed after many years of working with the architectural community. We don’t just provide renderings, we offer a service that creates a sense of place and gains you approval in your presentation.

If we can help you and your company with an upcoming project, please contact us!