.

Project Location:  4500 Via Marina, Marina del Rey, CA

Project Size:  900 Units

Date completed:  Completion Fall 2008

Client:  E & S. Ring Management Corporation

Contact:  John Pringle - President [johnp@esring.com]

Additional Information:

Located in Marina del Rey, California, the Marina Harbor Apartments complex consists of nearly 900 units on a 48 acre site, surrounding the upscale Marina del Rey Harbor with spectacular views of the marina, and includes amenities such as a fitness studio, tennis courts, four resort-style pools with sundecks, and jogging paths along the water.

Although the project was considered state-of-the-art at the time of construction with its International Style architecture, it had been recently overshadowed by newer, more modern competing properties. Originally built in mid-sixties the project suffered from little attention other than routine maintenance over the years.

To bring the project back to its former market position, the Owner engaged F+M Architects to design a major renovation of the facility while retaining as much of the original buildings as possible. The design focuses on enriching and embellishing the exterior facades by adding bold new shapes and geometries. A new unique and fresh palette of materials and colors create a more focused and site specific marina design solution. The designers greatly increased the amount of glazing by introducing new large full height insulated windows and sliding doors to allow more daylight inside and maximize the views of the Marina. In addition new two and three-story high facade extrusions in varying colors were added to create a playful rhythm and scale, while new nautical inspired horizontal stainless steel cable railings and ironwood accents were incorporated.

The exterior landscaping adds 275 new trees, a wide variety of new native California drought resistant species, along with a variety of building elements of metal arches, cable railings, ironwood accents and tensile shade structures.