Following our previous visit to Connecticut-based Beinfield Architecture, we are moving our Meet Your Next Employer series to California this week to explore the work of Abramson Architects.

Based in Los Angeles, the firm has built a portfolio based on an “earnest desire to elevate the human soul, to facilitate connection, and to improve the lives of the people they serve.” The firm’s work seeks to preserve and express design themes reflecting its Southern California roots, while its team is composed of members the firm describes as “a true artisan, fostering the type of creative and supportive environment that allows design freedom to flourish.”

Over on Archinect Jobs, the firm is currently hiring for a Junior Interior Designer to join its Los Angeles office. For candidates interested in applying for the position, or anybody interested in learning more about the firm’s output, we have rounded up four California projects by Abramson Architects that exemplify the firm’s ethos.

The Brick & Machine, Culver City, CA

Located in Downtown Culver City, The Brick & Machine draws its name from the two distinct office environments it comprises. While ‘The Brick’ sees large glazed openings balanced with textured materiality, ‘The Machine’ features a series of movable exterior screens to control glare and temperature.

“The duality of this creative office environment is due in part to its regionality at the heart of Culver City,” the team explains. “The two separate parts of The Brick and The Machine are built based on a creative implementation of local zoning laws. These laws state that one face of the building may be built up to three stories high, while the other face can be built up to four stories high.”

Platform, Culver City, CA

A mixed-use scheme completed in 2016, Platform sought to inject “a dose of fresh and bold design” into a derelict area of Culver City through a material palette of poured concrete, pebbled siding, corrugated metal, and rushed steel. The scheme comprises retail spaces, offices, and restaurants housed in six buildings wrapping around a central courtyard, with a series of architectural elements that “act as a memory book from occupants past” through references to abandoned prior uses in the area.

“The use of art as a material is prevalent throughout the complex,” the team explains. “The original project site had been abandoned for some time, and it served as a canvas for beautiful street art on its exterior walls. The designers wanted to commemorate this with a mural on the parking structure. This also aids the design by breaking up the massing of the parking structure and serves as a focal point from inside the complex towards the parking. The commissioned mural is by popular artist Jen Stark.”

Sapire Residence, Pacific Palisades, CA

Informed by a hilltop position overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Santa Monica Mountains, Sapire Residence is described by its designers as “minimal in form” where a “layered design flows with an open and relatively informal floor plan.” The building’s envelope contains six reconfigurable screens that shield occupants from heat gain and the afternoon wind, in addition to board-formed concrete walls, white oak shiplap wall cladding, and painted galvanized steel doors and windows.

“In three distinct locations, landscaped topography “fingers” heighten one’s awareness of the natural hillside,” the team adds. “Bridges span over these fingers, enhancing and extending the natural graded areas deep into the heart of the home. The design solution offers new perspectives for experiencing the owner’s prized views while providing a glimpse of the topography as it stood before the house was set upon it.”

Cedars-Sinai Los Feliz Urgent Care & OB/GYN, Los Feliz, CA

Cedars-Sinai Los Feliz sees a single 10,800-square-foot medical facility broken down into four boxes clad in a series of metal panels, with ornamentation taking inspiration from Los Feliz’s historic mid-century modern homes, culinary scene, and street-level shops. On the ground floor, custom art deco bricks tie the new development with the existing streetscape while incised geometric patterns in concrete squares overlap to form a subtle nod to the Cedars-Sinai brand.

“Once inside, high ceilings and large windows bring light into the welcoming lobby and deep into the clinical spaces,” the team explains. “Clerestory windows in the corridors filter in natural daylighting while large windows in the circulation areas provide intuitive wayfinding clues for patients and doctors. The interior details consist of high-end millwork, custom wall finishes, accent fabrics, tiled area rugs, and built-in banquets which reinforce the strong ties between art, architecture, design, and the Los Feliz neighborhood.”

Meet Your Next Employer is one of a number of ongoing weekly series showcasing the opportunities available on our industry-leading job board. Our Job Highlights series looks at intriguing and topical employment opportunities currently available on Archinect Jobs, while our weekly roundups curate job opportunities by location, career level, and job description.