emerson college by morphosis architects opens in LA

emerson college by morphosis architects opens in LA
image © iwan baan

located at the heart of hollywood, ‘emerson college los angeles (ELA)’ has opened its doors just two years after construction began. designed by morphosis architects, the building provides a permanent base for a school renowned for its communication and arts curriculum. the ELA will offer post-graduate, certificate, and professional study programs, alongside workshops, lectures, and other events developed to engage with the broader community. the scheme brings student housing, instructional facilities and administrative offices to one location, condensing the school’s various programs into a single urban site.

the scheme condenses the school’s various programs into a single urban site
image © roland halbe

the sustainable facility features a host of innovative amenities designed to provide students with the opportunity to pursue their creativity. the 10-story structure can house up to 217 students and includes wired classrooms, an open-air screening and live-performance space, a dolby surround 7.1 audio post-production suite, a 4k screening room, computer labs, mixing suites, and a planned green screen motion capture stage.

the site accommodates student housing, instructional facilities and administrative offices
image © iwan baan

student accommodation gives structure to the building, with domestic areas framing the structure’s inner core, dedicated to creativity, learning, and social interaction. two slender residential towers are connected with a multi-use platform where a central open volume provides a flexible external space. weaving through the central void, a sculpted form houses classrooms and administration offices, activating terraces at different storeys and fostering informal interaction between students and staff. the exterior corridors of the student suites and common rooms are shaded by a textured metal scrim extending across the full height of the towers’ interior.

a sculpted form houses classrooms and administration offices, activating terraces at different storeys
images © iwan baan

responding to its los angeles location, the entire school becomes a stage set for films, screenings and industry events, with the hollywood sign and the pacific ocean permanent backdrops. rigging for screens, media connections, sound, and lighting is incorporated into the structural framework, allowing the upper platform to serve as an adaptable armature for outdoor performance.

the exterior corridors of the student suites are shaded by a textured metal scrim
image © iwan baan

expected to achieve a LEED gold rating, the center embodies the ELA’s dedication to sustainable design and community responsibility. responding to weather patterns, the automated sunshade system opens and closes horizontal fins outside the high-performance glass curtain-wall in order to minimize heat gain while maximizing daylight and external views. further green initiatives include the use of recycled and renewable construction materials, installation of efficient fixtures to reduce water use by 40%, energy savings in heating and cooling through a passive solutions, and a building management infrastructure developed to monitor and optimize the efficiency of all the site’s systems.

student canteen facilities at the ground floor
image © iwan baan

‘the building is designed to expand the interactive, social aspect of education. we focused on creating with the broader community in mind—both in terms of public space and sustainable design,’ explained thom mayne of morphosis architects.

‘in addition to expanding our existing undergraduate program, we will also be offering workshops, lectures, and other events to emerson alumni and the community at large. we intend to be fully engaged with the city of los angeles and specifically the hollywood community. community service will be a big part of the new ELA,’ said kevin bright, founding director of emerson college los angeles.

see designboom’s previous coverage of ’emerson college los angeles’ here.

responding to its location, the entire school becomes a stage set for films and screenings
image © roland halbe

the structure forms a beacon for emerson as well as the broader los angeles community
image © iwan baan

an aerial view of the building in context
image © iwan baan

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project info:

name: emerson college los angeles
location: 5960 w. sunset boulevard, los angeles, california 90028, USA
completed: january 2014
client: emerson college
development consultant: robert silverman
site area: 0.8 acres / 0.3 hectares
size: 120,000 gross sqf (not including parking) / 11,148 gross sqm
program: the center’s program includes ground floor café and retail; classrooms, screening and mixing rooms; outdoor terraces; housing for approximately 220 students, along with faculty and staff; amenities, including a fitness center, lounge and kitchen; bike facilities and three levels of below-grade parking
design: 2008 – 2010
construction: 2012 – 2014
LEED rating: gold (expected)
type: educational