Central to Los Angeles’ South Bay, The Enclave is a 2.5-acre restaurant-retail center between two commercial towers with 500,000 sf of newly renovated A-class office space. The focus was on adding food, retail, and social offerings to the surrounding neighborhood.

The key to the design was creating functional outdoor spaces. The nearby office tower lobbies were renovated to provide access to the outdoors with retractable walls, allowing fresh air exposure and views of the garden, and in the retail center, restaurants spill out to patios for open-air dining.

Two organic orchards and herb gardens were also added alongside the office buildings, offering seating among citrus trees and herb planters. Tenants can enjoy a fresh orange on their lunch break and take in the sweet-smelling fragrance of the fruit trees.

We created “destinations within destinations” with a variety of options for guests and nearby employees to relax or work outside (made easier by available Wi-Fi and charging stations). Various ground covers throughout the property define spaces and make them feel separate and intimate. Seating has different perspectives, so some people can sit low in reclining chairs, while others can sit at café tables with a higher vantage point. The two fire pits surrounded by colorful, eclectic rocking chairs, bean bags, and Adirondack chairs offer guests an opportunity to enjoy the outdoor experience even on the chillier Southern California evenings.

Multi-functional, flex spaces provide eclectic and fun areas for socialization, games, and meetings. The many recreational activities throughout the property include ping-pong, four-in-a-row, cornhole, and stack and tumble towers. There is also a “conference table” in the plaza where employees can host gatherings.

The design was purposeful in that it wasn’t long and linear, but rather invites exploration. Creative traffic flow allows for nooks and new enticements around every corner.

Several eclectic water features zig-zag throughout the property: one such fountain features repurposed musical instruments as art, another is made from vibrant, colorful cylinders in varying heights, and a third features yellow spheres (reminiscent of The Enclave’s bright yellow logo). The commitment to art is seen all over the property from the colorful elephant wall mural that welcomes guests from the parking lot to an art installation reflecting the Southern California lifestyle (made of surfboards in an array of patterns and colors hanging on the wall near an entrance/exit point).

In addition, inspirational quotes carved into the pavement provide motivation and “Instagrammable moments” as you weave throughout the center.

Photo credit: Patrick Tang