{{Infobox Architectural Practice
, image =
, caption =
, name = Peter Tolkin + Sarah Lorenzen Architecture (TOLO)
, architects = Peter Tolkin
Sarah Lorenzen
, city =
Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, founded = 1998
, dissolved =
, significant_buildings = Saladang Song Restaurant, Sunglass House in Malibu, Sherman Residence in Sherman Oaks, Branch House in Montecito
, significant_projects =
, significant_design =
, awards =
}
Peter Tolkin + Sarah Lorenzen Architecture (TOLO), formerly Peter Tolkin Architecture, is an
architectural
Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings o ...
firm based in
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, established in 1998.
Overview
The practice's early work focused on the revitalization and redevelopment of buildings in
Old Town Pasadena
Old Pasadena, often referred to as Old Town Pasadena or just Old Town, is the original commercial center of Pasadena, a city in California, United States, and had a latter-day revitalization after a period of decay.
Old Pasadena began as the ce ...
. In several
adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an existing building for a purpose other than which it was originally built or designed for. It is also known as recycling and conversion. Adaptive reuse is an effective strategy for optimizing the o ...
projects, Peter Tolkin developed an expertise in pedestrian-scaled urban commercial and retail projects. Peter Tolkin's experience in Old Pasadena led to work in other cities with downtown revitalization plans, such as
Santa Monica
Santa Monica (; Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 U.S. Census population was 93,076. Santa Monica is a popular resort town, owing to ...
and
Long Beach
Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California.
Incorporate ...
.
Since then, the practice has completed several larger projects. In
Merced
Merced (; Spanish for "Mercy") is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California, United States, in the San Joaquin Valley. As of the 2020 Census, the city had a population of 86,333, up from 78,958 in 2010. Incorporated on April 1 ...
, the office planned and designed a series of
mixed-use
Mixed-use is a kind of urban development, urban design, urban planning and/or a zoning type that blends multiple uses, such as residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or entertainment, into one space, where those functions are to some ...
buildings, in conjunction with a comprehensive downtown revitalization. For Claremont, the practice was responsible for the planning of the West Village Expansion, a project encompassing retail, movie theaters, hotel facilities, and a town square. The practice's winning proposal for the development of a two-city-block
mixed-use
Mixed-use is a kind of urban development, urban design, urban planning and/or a zoning type that blends multiple uses, such as residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or entertainment, into one space, where those functions are to some ...
project called Metlox in Manhattan Beach created a public space connecting the city's
civic center
A civic center or civic centre is a prominent land area within a community that is constructed to be its focal point or center. It usually contains one or more dominant public buildings, which may also include a government building. Recently, the ...
with its main commercial street. The
urban planning
Urban planning, also known as town planning, city planning, regional planning, or rural planning, is a technical and political process that is focused on the development and design of land use and the built environment, including air, water, ...
project includes a town square, boutique hotel, restaurants, retail shops, offices, and underground parking.
As a counterpart to these public projects, the practice has also designed a number of projects in the private realm, including the award-winning Saladang Song restaurant, Long Beach Promenade Lofts and Marmion Court Housing. Award-winning and published private residences include the Sherman Residence and Malibu Residence (Sunglass House), and the recently completed Branch House in Montecito and a house for the gallerist Susanne Vielmetter in Altadena.
Recognized as a ''Design Vanguard firm'' by ''
Architectural Record
''Architectural Record'' is a US-based monthly magazine dedicated to architecture and interior design. "The Record," as it is sometimes colloquially referred to, is widely-recognized as an important historical record of the unfolding debates in a ...
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', ''
The Los Angeles Times
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'', ''
Dwell
Dwell may refer to:
* ''Dwell'' (album), a 2020 album by Recondite
* ''Dwell'' (magazine), a monthly American publication focused on modern architecture and design
* Dwell (retailer), a leading UK furniture and accessories company
* "Dwell" (s ...
'', and ''Interior Design'', among other international publications.
In 2018, Peter Tolkin Architecture became Peter Tolkin + Sarah Lorenzen Architecture (TOLO).
Selected projects
* Sherman Residence- featured in ''
Fracture
Fracture is the separation of an object or material into two or more pieces under the action of stress. The fracture of a solid usually occurs due to the development of certain displacement discontinuity surfaces within the solid. If a displa ...
'' (2007), and ''
CSI: Miami
''CSI: Miami'' (''Crime Scene Investigation: Miami'') is an American police procedural drama television series that ran from September 23, 2002 until April 8, 2012 on CBS. Featuring David Caruso as Lieutenant Horatio Caine, Emily Procter as Dete ...
''
* Branch House- featured in ''
Santa Barbara Independent
The ''Santa Barbara Independent'' is a news, arts, and alternative newspaper published every Thursday in Santa Barbara, California, United States.
History
The weekly paper was founded in November 1986, the result of a merger between ''The Santa ...
''
* Malibu Residence or the Sunglass House - featured in ''
Interior Design (magazine)
''Interior Design'' is an American interior design magazine, which has been in circulation since 1932.
History and profile
''Interior Design'' was founded by Harry V. Anderson in Manhattan in 1932. He was also the publisher and editor of the ...
'' and ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
''
* Saladang Song Thai Restaurant-a
Pasadena
Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district.
Its ...
restaurant constructed out of laser-cut steel screens and slabs. The patio-style restaurant takes inspiration from the traditional
Thai
Thai or THAI may refer to:
* Of or from Thailand, a country in Southeast Asia
** Thai people, the dominant ethnic group of Thailand
** Thai language, a Tai-Kadai language spoken mainly in and around Thailand
*** Thai script
*** Thai (Unicode block ...
sala, or outdoor pavilion.
* Claremont Downtown- a re-design and expansion of Claremont's downtown
* Maison 140, in conjunction with
Kelly Wearstler
Kelly Wearstler (; born November 21, 1967) is an American designer. She founded her own design firm Kelly Wearstler Interior Design (or KWID) in the mid-1990s, serving mainly the hotel industry, and now designs across high-end residential, comme ...
in ''
Interior Design (magazine)
''Interior Design'' is an American interior design magazine, which has been in circulation since 1932.
History and profile
''Interior Design'' was founded by Harry V. Anderson in Manhattan in 1932. He was also the publisher and editor of the ...
''
* Metlox- shopping district and town square, a large-scale mixed-use development in Manhattan Beach
* Bike Transit Center- a tunnel-like shelter for bike users across from the Metro L Line
Memorial Park station
Memorial Park station is a below-grade light rail station on the L Line of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system. It is located at Holly Street and at the end of Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena, California. The station is named after the nearby Memo ...
in
Old Town Pasadena
Old Pasadena, often referred to as Old Town Pasadena or just Old Town, is the original commercial center of Pasadena, a city in California, United States, and had a latter-day revitalization after a period of decay.
Old Pasadena began as the ce ...
. The structure uses
photovoltaic
Photovoltaics (PV) is the conversion of light into electricity using semiconducting materials that exhibit the photovoltaic effect, a phenomenon studied in physics, photochemistry, and electrochemistry. The photovoltaic effect is commercially us ...
and light
polycarbonate
Polycarbonates (PC) are a group of thermoplastic polymers containing carbonate groups in their chemical structures. Polycarbonates used in engineering are strong, tough materials, and some grades are optically transparent. They are easily work ...
material in its 5-foot modules.
*Red Carpet in C - featured i KCET Artbound
Awards
*Saladang Song was a finalist for the
James Beard Foundation
The James Beard Foundation is a New York City-based national non-profit culinary arts organization named in honor of James Beard, a prolific food writer, teacher, and cookbook author, who was also known as the "Dean of American Cookery." The prog ...
restaurant design awards, and it received a merit award from the Los Angeles AIA and an Honor award from the Pasadena & Foothill chapters of the
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to su ...
br> *2002 Peter Tolkin featured in ''
Architectural Record
''Architectural Record'' is a US-based monthly magazine dedicated to architecture and interior design. "The Record," as it is sometimes colloquially referred to, is widely-recognized as an important historical record of the unfolding debates in a ...
'' as one of ten “vanguard” international firms.
*2006 AIA Award—Pasadena Bike Transit Cente *2007 AIA Award—Malibu Residence
*2009 LA Architectural Award, Design Concept—Pasadena Bike Transit Center