Drobe Stogies has long been a staple of cigar culture in Inglewood. Our design builds on that legacy, expanding the experience while staying true to its roots. @drobestogies
A reimagined façade introduces a custom menswear retail space, creating a stronger connection to the street and elevating the brand’s presence. Just beyond, a members-only bar is tucked behind a speakeasy-style entrance, offering personal cigar lockers, a lounge, and an intimate VIP room.
Layered with rich materials—wood paneling, stone, leather, and polished concrete—the space feels timeless, refined, and intentional.
A place to gather. A place to unwind. A place that honors the ritual.
#HospitalityDesign #RetailDesign #InglewoodCA #CommercialInteriors
We’re proud to unveil our latest affordable housing project in West Los Angeles, designed with purpose and built to serve.
Located just minutes from the West LA VA Medical Center, this 53-unit community will provide veterans with safe, stable housing and a place they can truly call home.
As architects, our role is to help translate policy into the built environment, creating thoughtful, efficient spaces that support dignity, stability, and community.
This project reflects that mission: turning vision into design, and design into real impact.
#AffordableHousing #VeteranHousing #SupportiveHousing #HousingForVeterans #ArchitectureForGood
While Executive Directive 1 (ED1) fundamentally changed the timeline for 100% affordable multifamily projects in Los Angeles, its codification into the permanent ordinance marks a new era of development. As the policy matures, the challenge has shifted from "How do we apply?" to "How do we optimize?"
We’ve moved beyond implementation and into true mastery of the AHSO framework. For our multifamily clients, this means more than just a fast-tracked permit; it means:
- Maximizing Unit Yield: Navigating density and incentives to unlock a site’s full potential.
- Protecting Viability: Designing with construction costs and financing requirements in mind from Day 1.
- Ensuring Livability: Proving that "streamlined" doesn't have to mean "generic."
We aren't just following the ordinance; we’re leveraging it to build the next generation of LA’s multifamily landscape.
#AffordableHousing #LosAngelesDevelopment #MultifamilyHousing #ED1 #HousingPolicy
We are incredibly proud to look back at our collaboration with Viewstone Capital (@viewstonecapital ) on 5533 Virginia Ave. Today, these 15 apartment homes in the heart of Hollywood are fully occupied by U.S. military veterans: men and women who now have a safe, dignified space to call their own.
In multifamily architecture, we often talk about "units" and "yield," but this project reminds us of the true goal: stability. Creating a foundation where our veterans can thrive is a mission that transcends the building itself. We’re honored to have played a role in bringing this community to life.
📸: @panicstudiola
#MultifamilyArchitecture #VeteranHousing #SupportiveHousing #AffordableHousing #LosAngelesArchitecture
Construction Update: Townhomes on Nemo
Nearly complete in West Hollywood, a detail shot from our newest mixed-use residential project. Townhomes on Nemo brings three contemporary townhome residences above a ground-floor commercial space, thoughtfully designed for modern urban living on a compact infill site.
Almost there. More soon.
#MixedUseDesign #ContemporaryArchitecture #SoCalDevelopment
Donna’s is a thoughtful adaptive reuse project that transformed an existing shell into a warm, high-energy dining destination rooted in hospitality and experience.
Our design approach centered on creating a space that feels layered, transportive, and instantly memorable, blending the familiarity of a classic Italian trattoria with the vibrancy of Los Angeles culture. The result is an environment that supports both operational flow and emotional connection.
📌 Custom feature wallpaper inspired by abundant gardens and traditional Italian still-life imagery establishes a bold visual identity.
📌 Plush banquette seating enhances comfort, encourages longer dwell times, and maximizes dining capacity.
📌 Checkered flooring and exposed wood beams introduce timeless architectural character and a sense of heritage.
📌 Sculptural furnishings, warm metallic details, and ambient lighting elevate the guest experience.
📌 Custom millwork, tactile finishes, and a strategically planned layout balance aesthetics, circulation, and functionality.
Donna’s demonstrates how intentional interior architecture can turn an underutilized space into a sought-after hospitality destination. Designed for everyday dining, private celebrations, and repeat visitation, the project reflects our commitment to creating spaces that perform beautifully and feel unforgettable.
#HospitalityDesign #AdaptiveReuse #RestaurantDesign #InteriorArchitecture #ExperientialDesign @donnas_ep
Proud to be part of Inglewood’s continued growth with a new residential project in schematic development: a three-story multifamily apartment building featuring 10 thoughtfully designed units with parking at grade.
Designed with a focus on efficient planning, strong street presence, and livable interiors, the project aims to bring thoughtful density and contemporary architecture to the neighborhood.
As an Inglewood-based practice, we see every project as an opportunity to elevate the built environment, strengthen neighborhood character, and contribute to the city’s evolving future through intentional design.
#InglewoodDevelopment #MultifamilyDesign #SouthernCaliforniaArchitecture #InglewoodCA
Check out our recent visit to Mobile Modular in support of @hopeacademyla Hope Academy, marking an interim layer within a much larger transformation.
As part of HOPE 33, led by Center of Hope LA and Center of Hope CDC, the campus is being reimagined as an integrated framework for education, essential services, and creative community space, designed to serve both immediate needs and provide long-term impact.
The introduction of modular classrooms operates as a strategic response: adaptable, efficient, and immediate. These systems maintain continuity of learning while the permanent campus is developed, allowing the project to function even as it evolves.
More than temporary, this phase reflects a broader design approach, one that prioritizes flexibility, responsiveness, and the lived experience of the community.
Inglewood is expanding. This work ensures the architecture expands with intention.
#ModularConstruction #CommunityDevelopment #EducationalEquity
#UrbanTransformation #DesignForImpact
Rising in West Los Angeles, this project is taking shape.
What was once a small residential footprint is being transformed into a 100% affordable, 7-story housing development designed to meet the growing need for thoughtfully designed urban housing.
With 53 units—including studios and one-bedrooms—this project reflects our commitment to creating high-density, design-forward housing that supports real communities. Delivered under Executive Directive 1, the project leverages an expedited approval pathway to help bring much-needed housing to the city more efficiently.
Currently in construction, this wood-framed structure over a concrete podium marks a major step toward delivering accessible, code-compliant, and livable housing in Los Angeles.
More to come as we continue building.
#AffordableHousingLA #UrbanDensity #LosAngelesDevelopment #HousingInnovation #ED1Projects
We recently had the opportunity to experience Cedar Apartments at full scale, hosted by @walkyourplansla .
Cedar is a 7-story, 48-unit apartment building designed with density, dignity, and no shortcuts. 100% privately funded (no tax credits, no public funding), just a commitment to doing housing differently. A mix of thoughtfully designed studios and one-bedroom units, with four reserved for very low-income households for the next 55 years.
To step inside the work—at 1:1—shifts everything. Circulation becomes intuitive, proportions are understood, and spatial relationships move from abstract to real. It allows us to interrogate the architecture in real time and refine with clarity and intention.
@walkyourplansla has created a platform that elevates the design process: where plans become spatial, responsive, and immediate.
#ArchitectureDesign #MultifamilyHousing #LosAngelesArchitecture #UrbanLivingDesign #BuiltEnvironment
Vandell ranked #68 on the extended list of North America’s 50 Best Bars.
AERO COLLECTIVE reimagined a former restaurant into a layered, 800 SF cocktail bar designed to function as a true neighborhood “third place.”
Through spatial sequencing, timeless materials, and subtle historic references, the design creates a warm, immersive environment—anchored by a 30-foot soapstone bar and enriched with local storytelling.
A small footprint, designed for lasting impact.
#ThirdPlaceDesign #CocktailBarDesign #AdaptiveReuse #HospitalityDesign @vandell.losangeles
Honored to be featured at the ED1 Grand Opening with Karen Bass for 16136 Devonshire St.
This project reflects what’s possible when thoughtful design meets urgent need—bringing stable, supportive housing to veterans who deserve it most.
This is what impact looks like.
#AffordableHousing #VeteranHousing #SocialImpact #DesignForGood #HousingForAll
