Writer's Block in Los Angeles by CHA:COL

The Writer's Block is an AIA award-winning 1,500 square foot live-work loft designed as a creative production nook within a historic warehouse building.

Architect: CHA:COL
Location: Los Angles, USA
Year: 2016
Project size: 1,500 ft2
Site size: 20,000 ft2
Photography: Edward Duarte

From the architect: The space was purchased by a couple, one a New York Times bestselling author and the other a game designer. The unit was not intended to be their primary place of dwelling, and they approached CHA:COL for it as a compact urban getaway. Their work involved writing, drawing, music and game design within this getaway. They also needed it a place of respite between extensive book tours and travels. The loft was zoned Live-Work in downtown Los Angeles, a use set up specifically to address this kind of dual-use by artists.

Our design focus centered on the creation of a compact but fluid artistic environment. Taking cues from their writing, gaming and fantasy environment background, we drew inspiration from the Escher-like geometries of the game Monument Valley.

Our proposed design therefore played on a premise of shifting and fluid relationship between the graphic and the spatial. We studied many iterations of a single core geometry to aid each activity without shutting off other possibilities. We nicknamed our solution the Writer's Block. As a central element it functions as spatial separation, production workhorse and a piece of furniture. A writing desk on one face, a shelf in another and a lounge elsewhere. The mural and floor finishes extend the concept of 2d/3d manipulation, interchangeably graphic and spatial. All design areas flowed from and into the Writer's Block.

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