Cherokee Studios by REthink Development is a new soon to be completed project in Los Angeles boasting LEED Platinum certification. Huge Kudos to REthink since this is only 1 of 12 buildings in California to achieve that rating. The building won’t be completed until September ’09 but I’m so giddy with excitement that I think REthink and whomever the land owners are should just let me move in. Better yet, lets open the Yanko Design Los Angeles branch in the building!
The live/work units let you live the Hollywood life while staying best friends with mother nature. When we talk about standard of living, we need to re-examine what that means. For me, that means better indoor air quality, better ventilation, more controlled natural/artificial light, less toxins, and a place to escape to like a roof deck. This building has it all. Details, details!
Cherokee Studios will consist of 12 condo lofts and 2800 sqft. of retail space. The 5 story building includes an underground parking garage and a rooftop “green” deck. The lofts will range in size from 1,000 – 2,000 sqft. with unique and distinctive floor plans. The living space consists of a state of the art kitchen, great room, bathroom, and home recording studio or office. Three of the lofts will have 17 foot high ceilings with mezzanines – open to a lushly landscaped courtyard. All lofts will have 2 – 3 bathrooms and 1 – 4 bedrooms. Interiors including kitchens, baths, and finishes will all be ‘eco-luxury’ with high end appointments that have simple and modern lines while being environmentally friendly. 20kW of the building’s power comes from solar energy. On top of that nearly 50% of the building’s total power will come from renewable energy.
Perhaps one of the things I really dislike about living in L.A. is the blazing sunlight. It’s nice to have when you want it but terrible when the heat wave is on and all you can do is cower in a shaded corner. The unique architecture has a dynamic facade that not only looks good from the street but provides utilitarian function by shading the interior, reducing noise, and enhancing privacy without blocking views.
The kitchen cabinets are all made from formaldehyde-free materials studded with Energy Star Bosch appliances (swoon!), Bertazzoni ranges and one of those snazzy drawer microwaves. Even the countertops are made from recycled content.
My favorite room, the bathroom is decked out; Hans Grohe fixtures, the same eco-friendly countertops, floating vanities, recycled tile, and one of those fancy Japanese Toto Aquia toilets.
There’s so much more to cover so I’m going to try and sneak in somehow, maybe score an interview with the developers and obtain more pictures. Stay tuned, errr – I mean online.
- Over 40% better than California’s strict Title 24 2005 Energy Efficiency standards
- 20 kW solar electric array
- Astounding views
- Dynamic double façade creates shade and buffers street noise while enabling ventilation
- Electric car charging for every unit
- Reclaimed Black Forest Walnut from Studio One reused
- Walkable neighborhood scores “Walker’s Paradise” (95 out of 100) on walkscore.com
- Extensive bike storage
- Dynamic double façade creates shade and buffers street noise while enabling ventilation
- Formaldehyde-free cabinets and flooring
- High efficiency air filtration
- Low and zero VOC paints and finishes
- High efficiency tankless water heaters
- High-tech, high efficiency Variable Refrigerant Flow Heating and Cooling System
- Designed to optimize natural ventilation
- Abundant natural daylight
- Efficient lighting including strategic use of LED lighting
- Green, living roof and cool roof
- Upgraded glass enhances thermal and sound insulation
- High recycled content and locally produced products
- Forest Stewardship Council certified wood (50% of all wood products)
- Reduced landfill waste by over 75%
- Reduced stormwater runoff through groundbreaking under-sidewalk infiltration system
- Drought resistant landscaping
- Energy Star appliances
- Dual flush Toto Aquia II toilets
- Water efficient fixtures
- Design for durability
- Double walls between units for sound isolation
Designer: Pugh + Scarpa and REthink Development
