Irvine, California
These two high-rise towers are located in a new mixed-use urban infill development in Orange County. The project consists of a 12-story tower with 88 units and a 13-story tower with 152 units for a total of 240 luxury condominiums. The towers sit on a two-story podium that contains parking and a lobby serving both towers. The top of the podium is used as communal open space for all residents with access to a pool, spa, shade structure, fire pit, sun deck and lushly landscaped areas. The entry wall of the podium facing the main boulevard is sheathed in a richly textured, cleft limestone and is interrupted by a convex glass crescent that serves as the entry court. The entry wall also features an enormous sheet-flow fountain. The façade of the tower is articulated by the expressed structural system of concrete columns, floor plates and spandrels that frame the infill glazing system. The horizontal spandrel bands occur in a three-floor module pattern, creating a large-scale element for the facades. At the corners of each tower are large sky terraces on the roof that are capped by dramatic roof planes punctuated with iconic occuli that allow light onto the terraces.