The Living Atrium

The Living Atrium is a mixeduse residential development located at the corner of Obama and Crenshaw Blvd, directly across from the Metro station. The project is designed to be a sustainable, community-oriented environment that supports both residents and the surrounding neighborhood. Grounded in adaptive reuse, the design preserves existing exterior walls while repurposing any materials removed, reducing waste and embodied energy.

The historical Victor Gruen building anchors the project. From this core, a vertical greenhouse cuts through the structure, bringing natural light and ventilation to all levels while connecting the surrounding buildings physically and socially. Acting as both heart and hearth, the greenhouse becomes a shared interior landscape that fosters interaction and reflects Gruen’s vision of the “indoor agora.” The southwest corner is lowered to allow sunlight into the
greenhouse, while the northeast corner rises to mark the intersection and create a visible presence at the Metro exit. Rotated 45 degrees, the greenhouse aligns with the station, reinforcing a transit-oriented lifestyle.

Programs are organized vertically, with the most public on the ground floor. Here, the greenhouse operates as a community garden surrounded by open, flexible space containing kiosks for local vendors, educational spaces, a tool library, compost drop-off, and the residential lobby. Above, a communal level provides shared amenities and building systems, including greywater reuse. Upper floors contain housing units with centralized circulation and integrated planting areas that extend the greenhouse’s presence into daily domestic life. In this way, the project embeds greenspace, resource-sharing, and social connection into the architecture itself.