Catalyst at Smoky Hollow

Situated between LAX and the Chevron Refinery lies the neighborhood of Smoky Hollow, a place which owes much of its identity to the long history of the oil and aerospace industries in El Segundo. This project celebrates the neighborhood’s authentic and rugged character, drawing upon its past to enhance and enrich the design.

The architecture reflects an industrial aesthetic through exposed steel structure and robust, raw materials, such as Weathered metal panel and burnished concrete block. Faceted metal surfaces flutter across a suspended façade as an abstracted reference to the articulated flaps of an aircraft’s wing. The landscape design speaks to the very mineral resources that lie below – using bituminous, blackened materials to evoke the history of oil in this place.

The east and west facades are wrapped in a visually bold architectural screen. This element drives a dialogue between the north and south sites as these surfaces gesture towards one another at the shared street intersection – creating an iconic gateway for the neighborhood.

Across these two sites, we are creating a permeable campus. Here, one wanders through intimate courtyards and paseos. These open spaces not only connect us back to the neighborhood, but are opportunities for the project’s interiors to bleed outdoors through visually open expanses of glass and generous, operable partitions. These indoor-outdoor spaces celebrate our famous climate, and create true amenities for the relaxation, play, and wellness of their users. The landscape palette is laden with grasses and plantings, creating a naturalistic and authentic feel for the open spaces on site.