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 (from 1991) Angela Brooks (from 1999) Jeffrey Huber (from 2015) Gwynne Pugh (to 2010) |
| Founded | 1991 as Pugh + Scarpa |
| Location | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Brooks + Scarpa is a well-known American architecture firm. They have offices in Los Angeles, California, and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. This firm designs many different types of buildings.
The main architects leading the firm are Angela Brooks and Lawrence Scarpa. They received the highest award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 2022. This award is called the AIA Gold Medal.
In 2010, the firm also won the AIA Firm Award. This award recognizes excellent work over many years. Brooks + Scarpa also received the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum Award in Architecture in 2014.
Some of their famous projects in the Los Angeles area include the Solar Umbrella house in Venice. They also designed the Orange Grove lofts in West Hollywood. Another important project is the Colorado Court Housing in Santa Monica.
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How Brooks + Scarpa Started
The firm began in Santa Monica in 1991. It was first called Pugh + Scarpa. It was founded by architects Lawrence Scarpa and Gwynne Pugh.
In 1999, Angela Brooks joined the firm. She is Lawrence Scarpa's wife. The company grew quite a bit. By 2004, they had 43 professionals working for them. They also had offices in Los Angeles, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
In 2010, Gwynne Pugh left the firm. He wanted to work on his own design projects. So, the firm's name changed to Brooks + Scarpa. This new name showed that Angela Brooks and Lawrence Scarpa were now leading the company.
Angela Brooks also helped start Livable Places. This is a non-profit company. It works to improve neighborhoods in Los Angeles.
In 2015, Jeffrey Huber joined the firm. He became a principal and helps with planning and urban design. He manages the Ft. Lauderdale office.
Awards and Recognitions for Their Work
Lawrence Scarpa and Angela Brooks received the 2022 American Institute of Architects Gold Medal. This is the highest award given by the AIA. It honors architects whose work has greatly influenced architecture.
Angela Brooks also received The Maybeck Award in 2020. This award is from the American Institute of Architects California. She was the first woman to get this award. Lawrence Scarpa received the Gold Medal in Architecture from the Los Angeles Chapter of the AIA in 2018.
In 2014, Brooks + Scarpa won the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum Award in Architecture. They have also won many other awards. These include the AIA COTE “Top Ten Green Building” Award multiple times. They were also finalists for the World Habitat Award.
Their work has been shown in museums around the world. This includes the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.
In 2010, the firm received the National and California AIA Firm Award. This award recognized their "consistent excellent work." It also noted how they combine architecture, art, and craft.
Angela Brooks and Jeffrey Huber have both won the National AIA Young Architects Award. Angela Brooks is also a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. She received the 2020 National and California Citizen Architect award. She also got the 2020 State of California's American Institute of Architects "Maybeck Award" for her lifetime of work.
Designing for a Greener Future
Brooks + Scarpa are known as leaders in sustainable design. This means they design buildings that are good for the environment.
Their Solar umbrella house in Venice, California, is a great example. It was named one of the Top Ten Green Projects by the AIA. This house is also where Scarpa and Brooks live.
Their Colorado Court project in Santa Monica was very important. It was the first multi-family housing project in the U.S. to be LEED certified. LEED certification means a building meets high standards for being green and energy-efficient.
Colorado Court, the Solar Umbrella House, and their Step Up on 2nd building are special. These three projects are the only ones in AIA history to win three major awards for a single project. They won a National AIA Design Award, an AIA "COTE" Top Ten Green Building Award, and a National AIA special interest award. No other firm has achieved this!
In 2018, they won a grant to create affordable housing solutions. Brooks + Scarpa has also won awards for their work on climate change and rising sea levels.
Working with Budgets and Timelines
The firm has completed many award-winning office projects. They have worked for people in the entertainment industry. This includes projects for Danny DeVito, Jennifer Lopez, and Jerry Bruckheimer.
Projects for companies like Reactor Films and Jigsaw were known for their design. They were also built quickly and on time. Brooks + Scarpa became known for creating great designs even with limited money and tight schedules.
Important Buildings and Projects
Here are some of the notable projects designed by Brooks + Scarpa:
- CAM Museum, Raleigh, North Carolina
- Angle Lake Station, Seattle/Sea Tac, Washington
- Metalsa Center for Manufacturing Innovation, Monterrey, Mexico
- Luxe Lakes, Chengdu, China
- Orange Grove, West Hollywood, California (2012) – A unique home with an artistic front.
- Aronson Fine Arts Museum at Laumeier Sculpture Park, St. Louis, Missouri – A new museum and learning center.
- Green Dot Animo Leadership Charter High School, Lennox, California – A new school with 650 solar panels.
- Siquieros Cultural Heritage Museum, Los Angeles, California – Renovation of a historic building and mural.
- Santa Monica Public Parking Structures, Santa Monica, California (2011) – Renovations of six parking garages.
- Make-it-Right, New Orleans, Louisiana (2009, unbuilt) – They helped with rebuilding after a disaster.
- Plummer Park, West Hollywood, California – A full park renovation with new parking and a theater.
- Contemporary Art Museum, Raleigh, North Carolina (2011) – A historic warehouse turned into an art museum.
- Cherokee Lofts, Hollywood, California – A building with homes, offices, and shops. It was expected to be the first LEED platinum private building.
- The Museum at Laumeier Sculpture Park, St. Louis, Missouri – A new museum building in a sculpture park.
- Fuller Mixed-use Lofts, Los Angeles, California – 105 homes, including affordable housing, offices, and shops.
- Step Up, Santa Monica, California (2009) – 46 homes for people with mental disabilities.
- 18th Street Arts Center, Santa Monica, California – A large arts complex with galleries and studios.
- MGA Entertainment, Chatsworth, California – A large renovation of an old printing plant into a company headquarters.
- LATTC Athletic Complex, Los Angeles, California (2008) – Renovation of a gym and physical education buildings.
- Los Angeles Community College Headquarters, Los Angeles, California – Renovation of an 11-story office building.
- Colorado Court, Santa Monica, California (2002) – 44 affordable homes. It was the first LEED multi-family project in the USA.
- Santa Monica College Student Services Center, Santa Monica, California – A bookstore and student center on campus.
- Bergamot Station Arts Complex, Santa Monica, California (1999) – An old factory turned into an arts complex.
