The Grand L.A. By Frank Gehry
Cantilevered benches and lush plantings bring texture to lively plaza and deck areas
- Location
Los Angeles, CA
- Type
Commercial
- Landscape Architect
OJB
- Architect
Frank Gehry
Gehry Partners
- General Contractor
AECOM & Related California
- Installer
Pierre Landscape
Positioned directly across from famed Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Grand L.A. is an ambitious part of a public-private partnership aimed at revitalizing Downtown Los Angeles. Like the neighboring concert hall, The Grand was designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. Composed of two towers, The Grand includes a 45-story residential building and the 28-story Conrad Hotel. The towers are connected by a public plaza and include mixed-use shopping and restaurant spaces. ORE worked on both buildings, including the plaza, a pool deck, retail areas, multiple common areas, and the façades.
Supporting the idea of the plaza as an “urban room” for community gatherings, custom Ipe benches and large planting areas to encourage lounging and conversation. The heavy timber, cantilevered benches are meant to have a monolithic effect. We developed a tailored solution to securely mount the benches and maintain their design integrity.
Bridging Design and Engineering
Accommodating large trees, façade plantings, and multi-story installations presented several design and engineering challenges. Of particular concern was ensuring that trees on rooftop terraces would not topple over in strong L.A. winds and that planter system attachments complied with California seismic standards. ORE collaborated with the project design team to develop appropriate planter modifications and an adjustable anchor system that met those requirements with blending in with the overall aesthetic.
In keeping with Gehry’s intent, the planter system is indistinguishable from other cladding components on the buildings. The tower plantings have a symbiotic look, as if plants are part of the architecture, the greenery appearing to grow out of silver metal cladding.
