2023 Southern California Best Projects
Award of Merit - Residential/Hospitality: NMS La Jolla
Photo by Jason O'Rear
NMS La Jolla
Los Angeles
Award of Merit
Submitted by: Gilbane Building Co.
Owner: WS Communities
Lead Design Firm: Steinberg Hart
General Contractor: Gilbane Building Co.
Civil Engineer: KPFF
Structural Engineer: Nabih Youssef Associates
MEP Engineer: ACCO
Plumbing: Murray Plumbing
Electrical: AJ Kirkwood & Associates Inc.
Located at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and La Jolla, the lens-like shape of this tower draws inspiration from the film and television industry of Los Angeles. Completed in December 2022, the 307,000-sq-ft, 17-story mixed-use tower features a concrete structure and consists of 112 suite units, 32 studios and 80 co-living units, along with 5,100 sq ft of commercial space and five levels of above grade parking.
The initial design called for a traditional apartment building, but that transitioned to co-living units with private suites, which required a higher density of fixtures and MEP components than a typical apartment building.
For the exterior facade, an undulating pattern of alternating finishes—interwoven balconies and building skin—creates one of the project’s key architectural features, giving the building an almost rippling water effect. Months of design and shop drawings ensured the architect’s vision, and a performance mock-up ensured that the unusual facade would see no water infiltration.
NMS La Jolla’s design also posed new challenges for trade contractors, including the sky deck’s intricate assembly of dissimilar materials that required close coordination.
