It is our passion to design compelling and evocative spaces and places that stir the imagination and stand as precedents of design excellence.
In our approach, we blend innovation, sustainability strategies, ecology and biology, economics, architectural detailing, engineering, and identity of place - all in one discourse.
We work across the globe, conceptualizing and realizing public and private projects of all sizes. These include small intimate gardens, residential developments, private estates, urban master plans, public realms, parks, streetscapes, waterfronts, commercial developments, institutional campuses, the outdoor spaces of museums and recreational facilities, as well as other civic and cultural destinations.
Our attitude is collaborative, positive and optimistic, and we truly work across disciplinary boundaries while embracing unrestrained creativity.
For us, every project deserves a holistic approach in order to achieve the best possible outcome - socially, culturally, economically, and environmentally. We also consider what our design will mean for the adjacent context, as often our projects are found within historic settings. What impact will our design have on the identity of the place as a whole? What is the experience? And most important, how will our design work for people?
As dreamers and pragmatists, we are driven to come up with bold ideas that are rooted in functionality, meticulous detailing, and constructibility.
Our objective is to create designs which have embedded immersive and alluring qualities - that are refreshing, comfortable, and welcoming - spaces that are original and have never been seen before, that exude an inherent positive spirit and carry elements of surprise.
Our goal is always to establish an appropriate and unique character, ultimately resulting in a place that is memorable, frequently used, and loved.
Client: City of West Hollywood
Sunset Boulevard Gateway - Los Angeles
Project Info
Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California - one of the most storied and legendary urban boulevards in the world, conjures memories, imagery, and emotions whenever its name is spoken. Interwoven and synonymous with multiple sub-cultures across multiple decades, it is part of the identity of a bourgeoning 20th Century Los Angeles.
While developing a streetscape masterplan for the “Sunset Strip” - the central stretch of Sunset Boulevard - !melk conceived of the idea for a gateway structure, intended to become a symbol for the Sunset Strip, as well as a destination in and of itself; an impactful, sculptural monolith that “assimilates” in its environment - a completely unique form that comprises of an experience of ascent, wonder, and discovery - a surrealistic structure, with a “silhouette” that makes it very much “of-the-place.”
At the foot of the "Sunset Gateway” structure, within a newly designed plaza, sits a freestanding pavilion, that functions as a ticketing booth and information kiosk. From there, entering the gateway, one ascends to a suspended observation deck. This flexible gathering area, primed to become a “place to be”, is replete with a comfortable microclimate, and entirely formed around most spectacular vantage points and views of the Sunset Strip underneath. Both the plaza, as well as the observation deck are shaded by a “forest” of Washingtonia robusta palms.
For the overall streetscape master plan for the Sunset Strip, !melk developed a “streetscape toolkit” consisting of street trees, a distinctive paving pattern, a custom roadway and pedestrian light pole, standard furniture, and custom benches. This collection of simple, yet distinctive district-defining elements will bolster the overall cohesion of Sunset Strip to establish a strong identity and enhance visitors’ memorability of one of the world’s most famous urban boulevards!
Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California - one of the most storied and legendary urban boulevards in the world, conjures memories, imagery, and emotions whenever its name is spoken. Interwoven and synonymous with multiple sub-cultures across multiple decades, it is part of the identity of a bourgeoning 20th Century Los Angeles.
While developing a streetscape masterplan for the “Sunset Strip” - the central stretch of Sunset Boulevard - !melk conceived of the idea for a gateway structure, intended to become a symbol for the Sunset Strip, as well as a destination in and of itself; an impactful, sculptural monolith that “assimilates” in its environment - a completely unique form that comprises of an experience of ascent, wonder, and discovery - a surrealistic structure, with a “silhouette” that makes it very much “of-the-place.”
At the foot of the "Sunset Gateway” structure, within a newly designed plaza, sits a freestanding pavilion, that functions as a ticketing booth and information kiosk. From there, entering the gateway, one ascends to a suspended observation deck. This flexible gathering area, primed to become a “place to be”, is replete with a comfortable microclimate, and entirely formed around most spectacular vantage points and views of the Sunset Strip underneath. Both the plaza, as well as the observation deck are shaded by a “forest” of Washingtonia robusta palms.
For the overall streetscape master plan for the Sunset Strip, !melk developed a “streetscape toolkit” consisting of street trees, a distinctive paving pattern, a custom roadway and pedestrian light pole, standard furniture, and custom benches. This collection of simple, yet distinctive district-defining elements will bolster the overall cohesion of Sunset Strip to establish a strong identity and enhance visitors’ memorability of one of the world’s most famous urban boulevards!