As we close out this year, we’re reflecting on the milestones that have shaped 2024 for our clients and our practice. From awards to community-driven initiatives, here’s a look at our 2024 highlights:

Industry Recognition for Practice and Innovation
This year, we earned significant honors for our practice and the work we delivered for our clients:

• Best of Practice – Medium Firm by The Architect’s Newspaper (Editor’s Pick).
• Fast Company’s Innovation Award in the Circular Economy category for Watts Works, which we accepted at the Innovation Festival in New York.
• And Watts Works graced the pages of The Plan Magazine, marking our first international spread and expanding our global recognition. 

Fostering Creativity and Community Engagement
We blended design, culture, and collaboration:

• Launched the DTLB Design District and The Making of a Design District event series and started a Design Council with other members of Long Beach’s innovation and design community.
• Created an Architectural Trail for Fort LA and hosted an event with them at the historic Kimpson-Nixon House, celebrating architectural heritage and community storytelling.
• Showcased a Geoffrey Bawa film during LA Design Festival’s Docos on Design inaugural film series.
• Welcomed creatives-in-residence Kristen Flores (Muse Apothecary) and Jonathan Lo (Public Assembly), alongside artist-in-residence Mario Ybarra Jr., who introduced a new program with Slanguage University.
• Opened The Listening Room, a podcast studio designed as a space where stories are shared, opinions are voiced, and vibes are vintage.
• Hosted and launched an exhibition of our Waterfront Visioning Project and a multi-day charrette with our partners, Placeworks for our client, the City of Long Beach

Project Awards and Milestones
Our work for clients was celebrated for their design excellence, sustainability, and community impact:

• Watts Works: AIA CA Citation Award, AIA LA Residential Honor Award, ULI Terwilliger Award Shortlist, and The Plan Awards Shortlist.
• Ross Center for Hope and Healing: Westside Urban Forum Award.
• 200 W. Ocean: AIA LA Residential Climate Positive Award and Westside Urban Forum Merit Award for Adaptive Reuse.
• Sinead Finnerty-Pyne was honored with the Spirit of Downtown award by the DTLB Alliance.
• The Port of Long Beach Education Center received a 2024 Best of Year Project Award in the “Creative & Innovative” category from the American Public Works Association (APWA).
• Significant progress on West Harbor, a waterfront project for Jerico development, The Ratkovich Company, and the Port of LA, aiming to set sail by late 2025. 
• Hard fought victories; after many years, we helped spearhead the installation of the first of many improved bus stops and amenities through LA’s Sidewalk Transit Amenity Program as part of the Tranzito/Vector team 

We also celebrated ribbon cuttings and completions for:

• The Journey (featured in Frances Anderton’s Awesome and Affordable with FORT LA).
• Vanowen Affordable Housing in Van Nuys.
• Oak View neighborhood beautification project in Huntington Beach.
• MLK and PCH in Long Beach.
• George Washington Carver Park and East Rancho Dominguez Park, both in Los Angeles.
• Port of Long Beach Global Trade and Education Center.

Thought Leadership on National and International Stages
Our team shared our expertise on enhancing city life across prominent conferences and media platforms:

• Shruti Shankar spoke at the Parklet Symposium in Bologna, Italy, participated in Table for Ten hosted by Studio-MLA, and moderated the AIA LB/SB panel on enhancing underserved neighborhoods.
• Kirk Keller presented on public transportation projects and led a panel at the ASLA Insight Conference and at LANI’s Annual Community Forum.
• Alan Pullman featured on The Building Culture and US Modernist Radio podcast.
• Michael Bohn participated in the SCDF panel discussion on office conversions and the Tangible Remnants podcast
• Matt Wister joined the Westside Urban Forum’s panel on adaptive reuse in post-pandemic Los Angeles.
• Scott Parker was featured on the ARCAT podcast.
• Partners Michael Bohn and Alan Pullman participated in AIA LA Design for Dignity, speaking on adaptive reuse and large-scale urban transformation done right.

Major Funding Secured for a Transformative Project
Our Living Empowerhouse project for Innovative Housing Solutions secured $9 million in Next Epic Grant construction funding, plus $5 million in matching funds from the California Energy Commission for advancing design innovation and equity. 

High-Profile Recognition and Media Spotlight

• The Fourth and Central project for Continuum was certified by the Governor for the Environmental Leadership Development Program and featured in the LA Times. 
• Santa Ana Arts Collective was highlighted in Fast Company by Adele Peters and recognized in Harvard’s State of Housing Design report.

Watts Works: A Standout Year

Watts Works emerged as the defining project of 2024, setting new benchmarks for impactful design and innovation. With national awards, international features, and a growing list of accolades, it demonstrates our ability to transform small projects into big statements. 

This year has been a testament to the power of design, collaboration, and community to foster better cities. We’re proud of the partnerships we’ve built, the projects we’ve delivered, and the conversations we’ve sparked. 

Here’s to an even brighter 2025 ahead