Robertson Plaza was designed by the famed architect William Pereira (April 25, 1909-November 13, 1985), who helped to define the look of midcentury America. The plaza is located in the heart of an affluent West Los Angeles neighborhood with private galleries, entertainment, dining, and shopping. A U-shaped high-rise building with 192,766 sq. ft. of office and retail space surrounds an open plaza providing over 9,000 sq. ft. of publicly accessible open space.

Contradictions
Robertson Properties Group (the owner) renovated the plaza to attract new retail and restaurant tenants and refresh its outdated style. During the initial conversation with the owner, several contradictory ideas and programs were requested. First, the plaza should attract as many visitors as possible to its retail spaces and restaurants but should not encourage extensive visitor stays. Second, although tenants and employees share the plaza with visitors, it should still provide privacy for workers during their breaks. Lastly, the plaza design should recognize the value of Pereira's historic architecture while also celebrating the contemporary art of landscape architecture.

 
Voids of people
The company's purpose is "to provide places where people can flourish." The landscape architect has accomplished this through design optimized not only for employees' day-today working life but also for plaza visitors. While in the plaza, both employees and visitors should be able to fully become themselves, express their individual uniqueness, and acknowledge the process of living through their unique contribution. Extraordinary landscape architectural art was created to realize this vision. Visitors' and employees' activity patterns were analyzed in detail. All circulation paths were monitored and digitized. Subsequently, "void" areas with limited circulation, a lack of programs, and undesirable views
were identified. The landscape architect used these organic, fluid "voids" to shape a series of artworks that suggest new circulation patterns, new programs, and new visual corridors from multiple focal points. The horizontal and vertical shape of these "voids" were carefully detailed to prescribe programs such as seating, laying down, leaning, viewing, communicating, buffering, and blocking. Customized precast concrete planters became a design medium for the plaza and were placed within the programmed design "voids." The "voids" became a reflection of who individuals are-people who constantly interact and complete themselves.

Transformation
Through over 80 3D computer models and in-house 3D printings, the final shapes of four "void" files were sent to a concrete fabricator to build approximately 13'-16' x 17'-20' nonlinear planters, each weighing approximately 40,000-45,000 lbs. For the top concrete slab, the plaza has a maximum of 2.5"-3.5" of available depth due to a subterranean parking
garage and the finished floor elevations of retail spaces. A total of seven planters not only need to be placed in close proximity to the existing support columns below but also need to be leveled, complicating the grading design. Beautifully customized alternating integral color concrete paving and a hybrid running bond scoring pattern enhance the original vision, organize the spaces, and complement the organic planters.


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