Mosaic Gardens at Westlake

Project Design

Mark Lahmon and his team have created an eclectic range of multifamily housing, from designs evoking the traditional Spanish-style courtyard to this distinctive, multifaceted complex on a very difficult site.

Mosaic Gardens at Westlake (2018) is a 125-unit affordable apartment building for families, seniors and for formerly homeless people, in two separate towers on a three-story podium. The site is on a very steep corner at a busy intersection but the design takes advantage of the dramatic topography to give each unit a unique view, scanning from downtown LA to the Hollywood Hills. 

In addition to multiple interior common areas, exterior amenities include a children’s play area with easels and a wash out sink, lush courtyards, roof decks, and a senior community rooftop vegetable and herb garden. The main entry foyer sits adjacent to a forecourt plaza opening its arms to the tenants and the neighborhood.

Mark Lahmon says that in his firm’s work they are trying to promote as much social interaction as possible through celebrating the spaces everyone uses – mail rooms, elevator lobbies, courtyards – and trying to direct main paths of travel through social spaces to promote interaction.

“We really focus on exterior stairs at main entries. We make landings extra-large, fun and interesting with views of the city, a place to hang out and enjoy cool breezes in the summer. This is reflected in the photo of the terrace that – draws you in with a curving and sensuous landscaped path opening up to a space that provides city views while maintaining the intimate and personally comfortable space. The space is a paradigm for the meaning of “porch,” a place that promotes social interaction within the comfort of one’s home.

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Bottom left and right, Terrace at Mosaic Gardens; Photos by Benny Chan/fotoworks.