barrington residence
Residential and Commercial Architecture, Interior Design
11525 W Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066
ABOUT US
Eric Rosen Architects is a creative architecture and interior design practice in Culver City, CA providing innovative solutions to both commercial and residential projects. Since its inception in 1992, the firm has focused on creative projects demanding a strong design sensibility and an attention to detail. Rather than placing focus on one particular building type, the office has concentrated on projects of varying types and scales that benefit from our rigorous process of design and exploration. Through this process, innovative ideas are conceived, tested and communicated through sketches, drawing, physical models and 3D computer modeling. Eric Rosen, the founding principal, maintains significant involvement through all phases of every project. Project teams are carefully selected and customized to suit each client's needs allowing a seamless translation of ideas into the built form.
Eric Rosen Architects has worked with a variety of companies, organizations and individuals seeking a creative image and a dynamic built environment. Commercial projects have included restaurants, retail, gallery/exhibition spaces and entertainment-related facilities with creative office environments for video and audio post-production, editing and administrative offices. Commercial clients have included Westfield (food service/restaurant), Raleigh Enterprises (restaurant/commissary and creative offices) Warner Bros (restaurant/commissary), RavensWork (audio-post production studios) and Radio in the Nude (sound studios). Residential projects have included new single family homes, additions and remodels and multi-unit dwellings. Extensive thought and care is given to the site and context allowing for meaningful solutions.
OFFICE APPROACH
Eric Rosen Architects is structured so that all members operate as a cohesive team. Rather than directing individuals to specific tasks such as model making and CAD drafting, members of the office team are carefully selected to multi-perform. That is, everyone participates in the process of design, production and execution of ideas. Ideas are explored through hand sketching, physical modeling, computer modeling and computer drawing. All projects benefit from the direct attention and input of the principal as well as the attention and input of the team.
The notion of the team approach extends to the relationship between the office and its clients. It is our goal to engage our clients at the onset of a project as a vital player in developing a concept and project direction. Projects begin with many unanswered questions. It is through the careful articulation of the appropriate questions that we can listen to our clients and better formulate corresponding answers and propose solutions. The interplay of information and ideas between the two during the programming phase and throughout the work provides an enhanced forum for creativity, imagination and exploration.
The team approach also extends to our relationship with consultants, vendors and contractors. Because of our detailed approach to every project, the development of an idea and its translation through a project involves many materials, specifications and systems. Mr. Rosen's extensive architectural experience is complimented by a team of experienced professionals. The office has established strong relationships with structural engineers, mechanical and electrical engineers, acoustical engineers, food service consultants, landscape architects, general contractors, craftsmen and the like that encompass many decades of experience in design and construction.
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
Architecture is experiential and the making of space both defines and is defined by those experiences. It is our intention to create environments that come alive when inhabited and experienced. Everything has context. Our design approach contemplates the notion of transforming an existing context, whether it be through new construction, or the re-use and re-inhabitation of an existing space. In either case, each project is a unique exploration of site, surroundings, program, budget, and schedule. Transformation of the context occurs through the intervention and articulation of sculptural forms, materiality and texture, light and shadow – a gesture. Everything has latent beauty. Rather than inserting foreign objects into a context, it has been our intent to study and understand the existing context and subsequently reveal the beauties that already exist through the process of transformation. In essence, it is our intent to make visible what is invisible. Through this process of intervention and articulation, ideas are transformed into spaces and spaces transform our experience.
KEY PERSONNEL
Eric L. Rosen, AIA
Founder, Principal Architect
As a kid, Eric found himself lying on the floor of his parents’ home imagining what it would be like if everything was flipped on its’ head and the ceiling became the floor- stepping down into skylights, or up over door headers. Perhaps this was the beginning of spatial consideration, perhaps it was simply confusion. Either way, Eric wanted to be an architect since the age of 9.
After obtaining his B.A from Brown University in 1987 with a dual degree in Art History and Fine Arts, Eric earned his Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania in 1990. Most importantly while pursuing these degrees, Eric was focused on pushing himself out of his comfort zone by continually questioning his ways of thinking and making.
After a relatively short but critical stint working with his mentor Michele Saee in Los Angeles, Eric inadvertently started Eric Rosen Architects in 1992 when other work in Los Angeles was slow and several projects landed on his desk. He has been continuing to develop his ways of thinking and making ever since.
Eric’s work has been published and exhibited both nationally and internationally, and he has received numerous awards for design excellence. He has repeatedly been an invited guest critic at some of the top architecture schools in Southern California and has spoken about his work to a number of groups over the years.
Lesley Graham
Managing Principal
Lesley began thinking about architecture as a teenager in the suburbs of Ottawa, Canada. A high school art project led to an extremely detailed dream house model which, although embarrassingly innocent in its design perspective, nonetheless sparked an interest and revealed a strong, detailed work ethic that would lead her to pursue architecture at Carleton University in Ottawa. Lesley’s way of developing an idea through the physical act of making evolved over her years at Carleton through prolific writing, collaging, model making and filmmaking.
After graduating from Carleton University in 1999 with an accredited 5 year Bachelor of Architecture and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Design Award, Lesley decided to bring her talents south of the border to Eric Rosen Architects. Since that time, she has worked diligently to influence the office with her Canadian demeanor, making the office and the firm’s work all the better for it.
Lesley’s rigorous work ethic, well-organized management skills and high design sensibility has made her not only stand out amongst her peers, but has made her an invaluable partner in the work that the office generates. Simply put, if you really need to know something about one of our projects, ask Lesley.