We hear quite a bit about corporate and boutique architecture practices, but what about the public sector?
Although the vast majority of the architectural work that takes place in the United States happens through private sector practices, there exists a strong and vibrant group of public sector architects who help guide the design of private architecture projects while also working to bring impactful government programs into being across the American built environment. These architects work quietly, often in administrative roles, but always in a way that serves to apply and codify design expertise to best suit the interests of the American public.
One such architect is Ric Abramson, FAIA. Abramson was recently selected to head the City of West Hollywood's Urban Design & Architecture Studio, a division that exerts significant influence across the small-but-mighty Southern California city. Archinect caught up with Abramson to discuss the outlines of his new role, some of the urban design and architecture problems facing the city, and the areas where the city is building and improving its public realm. As Abramson states, "From dog parks to recreational facilities, parklets to memorials, civic plazas for public expression to city gateways, housing and strongly supported mobility initiatives, there are no shortage of urban challenges."
What is your official job title and in which municipal department is this position held?
I manage the city’s new Urban Design & Architecture Studio (UDAS).
What are your official job responsibilities?
My responsibilities leading the studio include streamlining the City’s design and development review processes, updating the City’s architecture and urban design guidelines, advising on land-use policy, elevating the conversation about smart, sustainable and resilient city strategies, collaborating inter-departmentally to provide a design thinking lens for City initiatives, encouraging the development of climate-responsive gathering spaces and private development, envisioning the future of the city’s green spaces, and carrying out specific policy and land-use directives from our City Council.
What drew you to working for the public sector?
The Studio structure will allow for the sharing of knowledge about design and the profession in a new context. Over the years, I’ve worn multiple and diverse hats – principal of my own design studio, 20+ years on the faculty at the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) and the University of Southern California School of Architecture, board member of a non-profit affordable housing corporation, local commissioner, committee and task force member, public lecturer and speaker, strategic counselor representing California on AIA’s National Strategic Council, land use and policy consultant to L.A. County, and currently chairing AIA California’s Housing Congress exploring fresh and bold ideas about addressing the state of California’s housing needs. So, the public sector seemed like a logical next step in a lifetime of learning about cities and the built environment.
the public sector seemed like a logical next step in a lifetime of learning about cities and the built environment.
How is it different than working in the private sector?
Working on the other side of the counter is a big change, no doubt. It comes with its own sets of challenges and amazing opportunities to collaborate with talented individuals who are dedicated to public service. The City of West Hollywood took a bold step to create a design thinking-centered Studio. Very few cities across the country have considered this type of approach. I’m so fortunate to work for a City that is not afraid to pioneer, embrace new concepts, and test new ideas.
How many architects and designers are on staff in your department?
The Studio currently includes an architect who provides visioning, programming, and project management for the City’s capital projects, a part-time urban designer, and a contract urban designer. Very soon, the City will be opening a search for a permanent architect/urban designer position and an intern position, hoping to identify creative and forward-thinking individuals who are passionate about making cities and are dedicated to public service.
The City of West Hollywood took a bold step to create a design thinking-centered Studio. Very few cities across the country have considered this type of approach. I’m so fortunate to work for a City that is not afraid to pioneer, embrace new concepts, and test new ideas.
What types of projects do the designers in your office typically take on? (if any)
The City has been proactive with strategic property acquisitions to afford itself flexibility to explore current needs in conjunction with options to safeguard future opportunities that might arise from community visioning. Certainly, our team will be involved in early, identifying strategies, helping to develop visions, and exploring urban design concepts, and building programming to support these efforts. The City’s urban parks, pocket parks, parklets, and urban gathering places will also keep us occupied from a design and project management perspective. Finally, much of our collaborative work with other departments will be centered around housing, infill development, community education and awareness efforts, and envisioning the future design of streets considering the region’s rapid expansion of options and modes of transit and growing mobility considerations.
What role do you play on a typical project team?
My role includes a little of everything. Managing the operations and work of the Studio, overseeing City initiatives and efforts already underway, collaborating with other divisions as a design consultant, guiding the City’s design review process, developing enhanced land use-oriented materials, and communication tools for residents, businesses, property owners, and developers, etc. One interesting, and the most varied, role involves applying design thinking (i.e. diagramming, modeling, sketching and drawing) to those situational public space and land use issues that arise almost daily. Oftentimes, what is so gratifying is that design-based solutions can avoid the need for increased regulatory frameworks to achieve desired outcomes.
There are aspirations to expand [West Hollywood's] cultural spaces, intensify the options for the use of streets and sidewalks, enhance its climate responsiveness in new projects, integrate smart technology, and provide quality housing for more diverse ranges of economic attainability.
What are some of the particular design and urbanism challenges currently facing West Hollywood and its public realm?
West Hollywood is only 1.9 square miles, yet its aspirations could fit in 100 square miles! From dog parks to recreational facilities, parklets to memorials, civic plazas for public expression to city gateways, housing and strongly supported mobility initiatives, there are no shortage of urban challenges. It is home to the Sunset Strip and the Pacific Design Center, recently completed a new city library, hosts a rich diversity of hotels, and a successful Design District. Yet, challenges are certainly present. There are aspirations to expand its cultural spaces, intensify the options for the use of streets and sidewalks, enhance its climate responsiveness in new projects, integrate smart technology, and provide quality housing for more diverse ranges of economic attainability. We are fortunate to have exceptionally strong leadership that is interested in advancing conversations and exploring big ideas for the future. As a result, it is easy to foresee a rigorous and thought-provoking series of opportunities over the next decade.
You were a member of the West Hollywood Public Facilities Commission board for eight years, how would you characterize the building legacy of that body, both during your tenure and before/after?
I was appointed to West Hollywood’s Public Facilities Commission and served as its Chair for a portion of my tenure. This Commission advises our City Council on matters related to public space, public facilities, and public parks. During my time on the Commission, several items proved to become legacy projects – (1) implementing the City’s first two pocket parks, (2) launching the City’s first dog park, (3) establishing the Heritage Tree Program, (4) master planning West Hollywood’s two public parks, and (5) crafting the City’s “Greening West Hollywood” program, adopted by our City Council, that is a community participation-centered effort focusing on how residents and business might contribute to greening the city. Since that time on the Commission, an additional dog park has been added, the West Hollywood Park Phase 2 project is currently underway—adding a significant upgrade to the park as well as a new Aquatics and Recreation Center. Also, the City’s Heritage Tree program has served as a model and has since been replicated and integrated into several other communities.
Is the city pursuing any “reach code” or “zero code” initiatives?
The City of West Hollywood has been recognized for its progressive leadership surrounding the built environment. There is a genuine pride in piloting new programs and generating creative solutions. The City of West Hollywood was one of the earliest to adopt its own local Green Building Program and currently is in the process of updating its Climate Action Plan, which aspires to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote energy conservation, heighten local resource management, and heighten environmental responsiveness in new developments. The Urban Design & Architecture Studio will soon be updating the City’s various design guidelines to emphasize elevated building performance and passive design principles and strengthening private site’s connections to public space. The City’s local Green Building code, adopted in 2011 and updated in 2019, was effectively an aspirational code that “reached” beyond the state minimum requirements. A number of its provisions were later put into law by the State of California in subsequent adoption cycles of its statewide CalGreen regulations (the California Green Building Code). In addition, CalGreen addresses energy consumption and conservation rather aggressively, and also houses the State’s latest zero-energy requirements. Looking ahead, I think we can also anticipate heightened discussions about carbon footprint reductions and enhanced water resource management as they relate to land-use and new development.
The City’s local Green Building adopted in 2011 and updated in 2019, was effectively an aspirational code that “reached” beyond the state minimum requirements. A number of its provisions were later put into law by the State of California in subsequent adoption cycles of its statewide CalGreen regulations (the California Green Building Code).
You were hired, in part, to help implement a series of new urban design strategies for the city, can you explain this work in greater detail?
High on the list will be updating the City’s Urban Design & Architecture Guidelines. There will be a heightened emphasis on exploring greater flexibility and more options for creative designers, integrating more streamlined processes, and providing greater clarity with respect to the City’s environmental and climate related goals and objectives. In addition, working with our City Council and Planning Commission, we hope to refine our City’s Design Review process to communicate the City’s overall built environment goals for the development community and the public at the earliest stages, and to provide an inclusive and transparent process that encourages robust community feedback and inspires our design community to demonstrate how design really matters!
The City’s Building & Safety Division has integrated the expertise of a Certified Access Specialist (a “CASP”), to review projects prior to issuing permits for construction. The City has an active Disability Advisory Board that is consulted by City Staff prior to implementing new projects that might affect disability access. This Board also explores new opportunities and makes recommendations to our City Council regarding matters related to accessibility.
How are you working to make public spaces more widely accessible for people with disabilities and other groups?
Public space accessibility is critically important, and the City of West Hollywood is committed to making its civic and public spaces as accessible as possible.
The City’s Building & Safety Division has integrated the expertise of a Certified Access Specialist (a “CASP”), to review projects prior to issuing permits for construction. The City has an active Disability Advisory Board that is consulted by City Staff prior to implementing new projects that might affect disability access. This Board also explores new opportunities and makes recommendations to our City Council regarding matters related to accessibility.
One of the earliest to adopt an ordinance for accessible gender-neutral single stall restrooms, the City has also been active in ensuring implementation of the latest features to enhance access and provide support for people who are blind or visually impaired and for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. There will be enhanced visual and hearing-impaired devices alongside accessible, free local shuttle services and transit-connected facilities. On the public services side, the City’s Strategic Initiatives Division is currently implementing the City’s Aging-in-Place/Aging in Community Strategic Plan with some of the leading-edge best practices in enhanced mobility, expanded services, and universal design-related recommendations. Finally, from an urban design standpoint, I am very excited about exploring better ways to improve all forms of mobility, including walking streets that balance vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians, and other strategies that make public space even more easily navigated and more flexible to accommodate public events.
Antonio is a Los Angeles-based writer, designer, and preservationist. He completed the M.Arch I and Master of Preservation Studies programs at Tulane University in 2014, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis in 2010. Antonio has written extensively ...
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