Hide and Seek Apartments / Valerie Schweitzer Architects

Inspired by the palm tree, the nature-centric apartment building in west LA provides a sense of nurture to the entire street in a post-pandemic age. It incorporates the local flora in unique ways including the site’s roughly 90-year-old sycamore, with a playful treehouse effect. The 15-unit structure, LEED Gold, heightens our awareness of nature’s interplay with the man-made that marks Los Angeles. It does so with a mix of natural and industrial materials: Corten steel, insulated glazing, board form concrete, salvaged wood, and palm trees on all floors.