Brooks + Scarpa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brooks + Scarpa |
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The Six Affordable Veterans Housing, MacArthur Park, Los Angeles, CA
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| Practice information | |
| Partners | Lawrence Scarpa Angela Brooks (from 1999) Jeffrey Huber (from 2015) Gwynne Pugh (to 2010) |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Location | Los Angeles, CA |
Brooks + Scarpa is a famous American architecture company. It has offices in Los Angeles, California, and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The main architects, Angela Brooks and Lawrence Scarpa, won the highest award in architecture, the 2022 American Institute of Architects Gold Medal.
The company also won the 2014 Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum Award. In 2010, they received the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Firm Award. Some of their cool projects in Los Angeles include the Solar Umbrella home and the Orange Grove lofts.
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How the Firm Started
The company began in Santa Monica in 1991. It was first called Pugh + Scarpa. It was started by architects Lawrence Scarpa and Gwynne Pugh.
In 1999, Lawrence Scarpa's wife, Angela Brooks, joined the company. She became the third main architect. By 2004, the company had grown to 43 people. They had offices in Los Angeles, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
In 2010, Gwynne Pugh left the company. He wanted to work on his own projects. The company's name then changed to 'Brooks + Scarpa'. This showed that Angela Brooks and Lawrence Scarpa were now leading it.
Angela Brooks also helped start Livable Places. This is a group that helps make neighborhoods better in Los Angeles.
In 2015, Jeffrey Huber joined the firm. He became a principal and helps with planning and urban design. He manages the office in Ft. Lauderdale.
Amazing Awards and Honors
Lawrence Scarpa and Angela Brooks won the 2022 American Institute of Architects Gold Medal. This is the highest award for architects. It honors people whose work has greatly influenced architecture.
In 2020, Angela Brooks was the first woman to win The Maybeck Award. This award is from the American Institute of Architects California. Lawrence Scarpa also won the Gold Medal in Architecture in 2018. This was from the Los Angeles Chapter of the AIA.
In 2014, Brooks + Scarpa won the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum Award. They have also won many other awards. These include the AIA COTE “Top Ten Green Building” Award multiple times. They were also a finalist for the World Habitat Award.
Their work has been shown in museums around the world. These include the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. They were even featured in NEWSWEEK magazine. Lawrence Scarpa appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
In 2010, the company received the National AIA Firm Award. This was for their "consistent excellent work" over 19 years. This award recognized how they combine architecture, art, and craft.
Angela Brooks and Jeffrey Huber also won the National AIA Young Architects Award. Angela Brooks is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. She also won the "Character Approved" Award in 2010. This was for her ability to design beautiful, affordable, and sustainable buildings.
Building Green: Sustainable Design
Brooks + Scarpa are known as leaders in sustainable design. This means they design buildings that are good for the environment. Their own home, the Solar umbrella house in Venice, California, is a great example. The AIA named it one of the Top Ten Green Projects.
Their project Colorado Court in Santa Monica was also special. It was the first apartment building in the US to be LEED certified. LEED certification means a building meets high standards for being green.
Colorado Court, the Solar Umbrella House, and their Step Up on 2nd building are unique. These three projects are the only ones in history to win three major AIA awards. They won a National AIA Design Award, a "Top Ten Green Building" Award, and a special interest award. No other company has done this!
In 2018, they won a big grant to create affordable and sustainable housing. Brooks + Scarpa has also won awards for their work on climate change. They help design buildings that can handle rising sea levels in coastal areas.
Designing on Time and Budget
The company has completed many award-winning office projects. They have worked for people in the entertainment industry. Some of their clients include Danny DeVito and Jennifer Lopez.
They are known for designing great buildings quickly. They also make sure to stay within the budget. Brooks + Scarpa has a reputation for delivering amazing designs. They do this even when time and money are limited.
Cool Buildings They've Designed
Brooks + Scarpa has designed many interesting buildings. Here are some of their notable projects:
- CAM Museum, Raleigh, North Carolina: A museum that combines art and culture.
- Angle Lake Station, Seattle/Sea Tac, WA: A modern train station.
- Metalsa Center for Manufacturing Innovation, Monterrey, Mexico: A center for new ideas in manufacturing.
- Orange Grove, West Hollywood, CA (2012): A unique home with a cool, artistic front.
- Green Dot Animo Leadership Charter High School, Lennox, CA: A school with 650 solar panels. It was designed to be very eco-friendly.
- Santa Monica Public Parking Structures, Santa Monica, CA (2011): They updated six parking garages in downtown Santa Monica.
- Contemporary Art Museum, Raleigh, NC (2011): They turned an old warehouse into a new art museum.
- Cherokee Lofts, Hollywood, CA: A building with homes, offices, and shops. It was designed to be super green.
- Step Up, Santa Monica, CA (2009): This building provides homes for people with mental disabilities.
- Colorado Court, Santa Monica, CA (2002): An affordable housing project with 44 units. It was the first LEED-certified apartment building in the USA.
