G-Cubed is a gym and rooftop garden amenity space built on top of an existing seven-story parking garage in Los Angeles. As a new addition to the Plaza office complex in Century City, the project takes advantage of previously unused space to provide sweeping city views. G-Cubed introduces 22,000 square feet of landscaped outdoor space, a 1,600-square-foot main pavilion and fitness center, and 1,000 square feet of locker room facilities.

G-Cubed will help to attract media, entertainment, and technology companies to the Plaza, while retaining existing tenants. The project is designed to promote work-life balance and encourage active lifestyles. It provides outdoor spaces, exercise facilities, alternative areas for work and relaxation. Showers and locker rooms are an amenity not only for gym users, but also for those who commute to work by bicycle.

Floor-to-ceiling glass on all sides of the gym pavilion blurs the boundary between inside and outside. Sliding glass doors offers natural ventilation, and two large overhangs shade outdoor seating and lounge areas, allowing tenants to take advantage of the mild Southern California climate.

The rooftop garden adds to the Plaza’s existing amenities, which include a tennis and basketball court. The flexible open space includes areas for recreational activities, as well as for and social and business gatherings. With seating for a bar, lounge, and cafe dining, the space can accomodate up to 300 people for special events. The garden is covered in ipe hardwood decking, synthetic turf, and potted trees that visually separate outdoor zones.

To accommodate the weight of the new pavilion, SOM’s integrated architecture and engineering team retrofitted the existing structure. A fiber wrap increases the strength and durability of the rooftop concrete slab, while the weight of the new pavilion is distributed to the parking garage columns below.