Abbot Kinney Boulevard is one of the main thoroughfares in the coastal neighborhood of Venice, a section of Los Angeles, California. The street contains a unique blend of restaurants, small boutiques, and one-of-a-kind retail establishments, along with single-family houses, apartments, and live-work spaces for artists-in-residence.

This mixed-use project, designed by Dennis Gibbens Architects, is situated in the middle of a stretch along the boulevard known for its many recent examples of architectural experimentation. The ground floor houses parking and a single retail tenant; the two upper floors contain a single-family residence. The public residential spaces are on the second floor surrounding a private courtyard. The third floor contains bedrooms and a large exterior dining and entertainment deck.

The entire shell of the building is constructed of board-formed poured-in-place concrete. Other exterior walls are glass or stucco, non-corrosive materials practical for their use near the ocean. The roughly textured surfaces of the concrete, both inside and out, contrast sharply with the smooth and highly refined finish materials, which include tile, stone, stainless steel, stained woods, and smooth terrazzo floors.

Photos: Benny Chan, Nazy Alvarez, and Ryan Turner