Three SOM projects were honored at the Los Angeles Business Council’s (LABC) 54th Annual Architectural Awards hosted at the historic Beverly Hilton. Located across the sprawling county of Los Angeles and diverse in typology, the projects include a Hollywood film studio modernization, an open-air performing arts stage, and a mixed-used creative office campus.
“This year, the LABC is honoring projects whose inspired designs build on LA’s heritage and move the city toward a dynamic future,” said Mary Leslie, LABC President. “From renewing entertainment venues and creative workspaces to reimagining parks, schools and housing, our honorees exemplify the power of architecture to serve the public good, foster progress, and build community.”
A Community Impact Award winner, Radford Studio Center is a famous Hollywood film studio slated for a comprehensive modernization of its production facilities to bring the century-old, silent-film era production complex further into the digital age. The improved, 55-acre campus includes larger sound stages, media offices, and improvements to the surrounding community. Over the decades, Radford has been home to many iconic motion pictures and television shows, including “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Seinfeld,” and “Will & Grace,” among others.
At Loyola Marymount University (LMU), the new outdoor performance space Drollinger Family Stage received an Education Award. The project incorporates innovations in structure and materials to create an elegant, multipurpose performance and event space. Featuring an inclined roof structure with embedded audio-visual systems, the versatile 3,200-square-foot open-air stage can accommodate outdoor classroom sessions, film screenings, and various campus and community events.
Located in Pasadena, 10 West Walnut is a five-story creative mixed-use office building featuring ground-floor restaurant and retail, with strong visual and physical connections to the surrounding urban context. The design features a brick frame and large windows, enhancing aesthetics and function. It promotes walkability and community interaction, using efficient systems for natural light and energy savings. The building is part of the 100 West Walnut masterplan by SOM, which creates connections to the city’s building scale, material palette, pedestrian networks, and view corridors in historic Old Pasadena in Southern California.
