Choosing glass as the main material was the first step in this project’s design process. Inspiration was drawn from the inherent nature of glass to crush under pressure. Therefore, the parti grows from the formal representation of a crushed glass bottle.
The project is a mixed used tower set on Wilshire Boulevard in the heart of Los Angeles, with one level of retail, 5 levels of parking, and at least 15 of office spaces. The design placed the retail at street level, with the parking right on top. The ramps of the parking levels created a rotational motion, providing an invisible force to work with as I create a paneling system for the “crushed” portion on theexterior. The fragments allowed for opportunities for designed openings as well, allowing naturalventilation for this portion of the building. 
As the tower rises up to the office levels, the fragmented panels continue on the inside of the building, forming an interior atrium that similarly “crushes” as it meets the office lobby level. Thisleaves the exterior of the office pristine, reinforcing the parti and directing occupants’ attention tothe interior landscape.
Meanwhile, the tornado-like force also affects other building components, including circulationand core elements. To return a softer touch to the ominous shattered building, landscape is introduced. The only green within close proximities of this urban site exist in a small planter separating opposing traffic. Therefore, the landscape in the tower is designed to abstractly draw from this planter. Following the suction already created in all other elements in the tower, the landscape climbs into the main stairs inside the atrium, rendering a vertical garden within the tower.