ARQ at Cumulus
ARQ at Cumulus is a 580,000-square-foot, 30-story luxury apartment building that is part of a larger 1,200 unit mixed-use development in the Baldwin Hills area of Los Angeles. Located at the Expo Line Jefferson/La Cienega station, the new transit-oriented development is positioned between downtown and Santa Monica.
The tower’s apartment units range from studios to two bedrooms, with the top floor consisting of eight penthouse units. The ground floor includes the residential entry lobby and 11,000 square feet of retail space. Residents have access to the adjacent Zocalo Public Square; an urban plaza and park lined with retail spaces. The building’s sixth and 30th floors host a range of indoor and outdoor amenities including a lap pool, hot tubs, lounge space, fire pits, a fitness center, and co-working lounge.
As the first residential high-rise in the area, ARQ at Cumulus is a visual a landmark for the neighborhood serving retail, a metro station, and a residential community. The tower’s strong vertical architectural elements reference the Cumulus Radio tower that previously occupied the site, while a staggered horizontal pattern of light and dark façade panels with subtle feature lighting activates the tower and the neighborhood’s new emerging urban identity.
SCB conducted various shading and daylighting studies to ensure that both the amenity roof deck and Zocalo Square would receive optimal sunlight throughout the day. As a result, the tower is situated on the northeast corner of the site and is oriented to the east/west, simultaneously providing residents with sweeping views of the Hollywood Hills, downtown Los Angeles, and the Pacific Ocean. The tower’s high-performance glass façade and elements such as its greywater reuse system, native vegetation, and energy-efficient systems throughout the building contribute to its goal of LEED Gold certification.
