Barrington 1503 by LOHA: Co-Living Residential Complex Around a Central Courtyard
Barrington 1503 is a co-living residential project by California studio LOHA, strategically designed to address the complexities of communal living. Situated on a rectangular site in West Los Angeles, the complex comprises four interconnected volumes totaling 24,200 square feet (2,248 square metres). The arrangement of living units around a central courtyard provides a balance between private and shared spaces, promoting interaction while maintaining personal privacy.
The four-level complex houses 79 private bedrooms across 18 apartments and includes shared amenities such as kitchens, dining areas, and lounges. The design introduces higher residential density into a neighbourhood dominated by college students and new residents, near the University of California, Los Angeles campus and Santa Monica College. The co-living model provides an alternative to the prevalent single-residence homes, offering both affordability and social connectivity.
Facades are clad in charcoal-coloured aluminium panels and raked plaster, giving a contemporary aesthetic while emphasizing durability. Exterior corridors and stairways link the volumes and allow sunlight to filter through, creating lively, layered transitions between communal and private areas. LOHA’s design ensures that the project functions efficiently, supports social interaction, and establishes a blueprint for future co-living developments in urban contexts.
Design Vision and Concept
Barrington 1503 explores a spatial social gradient, balancing shared community spaces with defined private areas. The project is a response to rising living costs in Los Angeles and the demand for affordable, socially connected housing. The complex is conceived as a cohesive ensemble of four volumes organized around a central courtyard, with pathways and exterior corridors serving as social conduits.
Spatial Organisation
The complex consists of four distinct volumes arranged as a cube carved to form different sizes and shapes. The central courtyard introduces sunlight into the building and serves as a social nucleus. Exterior corridors and staircases, lined with white railings, connect the volumes and facilitate movement and spontaneous interaction. Each of the 18 apartments contains a kitchen, living area, and four to five bedrooms, with two to four bathrooms per unit.
Material Palette
Facades feature charcoal-coloured aluminium panels and raked plaster. Interior finishes include plywood cabinetry and timber floors. Colour schemes differentiate public and private areas, with sage green applied to kitchens and living rooms, while hallways darken gradually toward bedrooms, signaling more intimate spaces. Materials were selected for durability, visual clarity, and functional performance.
Relationship to Context
Barrington 1503 responds to its West Los Angeles context by introducing much-needed residential density while respecting the surrounding environment. The design accommodates a diverse population, including students and general residents. The building addresses local housing challenges and establishes a model for sustainable co-living in dense urban areas.
Circulation and Social Connectivity
Sliding doors and windows open the living areas toward the central courtyard, fostering connection to the building’s social life. Bedrooms face outward, maintaining privacy. Corridors and stairs are more than functional elements—they act as social spaces for chance encounters, strengthening the sense of community.
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Total area | 24,200 square feet (2,248 square metres) |
| Number of apartments | 18 |
| Bedrooms | 79 private bedrooms |
| Levels | Four |
| Material palette | Charcoal aluminium panels, raked plaster, plywood cabinetry, timber flooring |
Interior Experience
Interiors provide a balance of interaction and privacy. Shared areas open to the courtyard while bedrooms remain inward-facing. Each unit is fully furnished, and colour transitions guide residents from communal to private zones. This strategy reinforces the concept of a spatial social gradient central to the project’s ethos.
Co-Living Model
Barrington 1503 introduces a co-living arrangement where tenants rent individual rooms and share communal spaces. This differs from conventional rental models where tenants occupy entire apartments. The approach maximises occupancy while fostering community engagement, offering an affordable and socially connected living experience.
| Challenge | Solution |
|---|---|
| Balancing privacy and social interaction | Spatial social gradient with private bedrooms and shared courtyards |
| High residential demand | Co-living model with individual room rentals |
| Contextual density | Four volumes arranged around central courtyard |
| Functional clarity | Clear distinction between public and private zones with visual cues |
Architectural Analysis
Barrington 1503 demonstrates an innovative approach to co-living, using volumetric organization to establish a central courtyard as the social heart. Materials and colour schemes delineate public and private areas, enhancing spatial clarity. The exterior corridors and staircases act as both circulation routes and social nodes, while the cube-like volumes modulate scale and visual hierarchy.
While the project successfully integrates communal and private spaces, questions remain about long-term adaptability as resident demographics change. The subtle transitions and colour cues are thoughtful, yet reliance on these elements alone might require complementary strategies for evolving community needs. Overall, the design presents a refined model for balancing interaction and solitude in urban co-living.
The project illustrates how thoughtful architectural interventions can address contemporary housing challenges while maintaining clarity, functionality, and social cohesion.
Project Importance
Barrington 1503 is a significant model for co-living projects in dense urban areas. It demonstrates how residential architecture can introduce higher density without compromising privacy or social engagement. The project contributes to discussions on communal living, offering insights into spatial organisation, circulation design, and material use.
By creating a flexible environment that supports both interaction and solitude, Barrington 1503 informs architects on innovative approaches to urban housing. It highlights the relevance of co-living as a solution to affordability challenges and fosters social cohesion in communities with diverse populations. The design exemplifies a forward-looking approach to residential architecture, combining functionality with social sustainability.
As cities continue to face housing pressures, projects like Barrington 1503 provide valuable lessons on blending density, privacy, and community engagement, serving as an adaptable template for 21st-century urban co-living.
✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight
Barrington 1503 skillfully combines four volumes around a central courtyard, using materiality and colour to define social and private spaces. While the transitions are subtle, the reliance on visual cues may need reinforcement for diverse resident groups. Nevertheless, the project establishes a compelling model for co-living that addresses both functional and social needs, offering a replicable approach for urban housing innovations.
Conclusion
Barrington 1503 by LOHA presents a thoughtfully designed co-living environment that balances communal interaction with private retreat. Through its arrangement of four interconnected volumes around a central courtyard, the project fosters both social engagement and individual privacy. Exterior corridors, staircases, and layered spatial transitions encourage chance encounters and strengthen community ties, demonstrating the potential of co-living as an urban housing strategy.
The use of charcoal aluminium panels, raked plaster, and warm interior finishes enhances the clarity and coherence of the design while offering a contemporary aesthetic. Colour cues in shared and private spaces guide residents through the social gradient, reinforcing the project’s central concept. Kitchens and living areas open onto the courtyard, while bedrooms are oriented toward the city, achieving a balance between visibility and retreat.
Barrington 1503 provides a forward-looking blueprint for co-living projects, addressing affordability, social connection, and spatial organisation. It demonstrates how architecture can respond to urban challenges by integrating density, functionality, and community-focused design. As such, it serves as an instructive example for architects and urban planners seeking to create flexible, socially engaging residential environments in contemporary cities.
Explore the Latest Architecture Exhibitions & Conferences
ArchUp offers daily updates on top global architectural exhibitions, design conferences, and professional art and design forums.
Follow key architecture competitions, check official results, and stay informed through the latest architectural news worldwide.
ArchUp is your encyclopedic hub for discovering events and design-driven opportunities across the globe.
Brought to you by the ArchUp Editorial Team
Inspiration starts here. Dive deeper into Architecture, Interior Design, Research, Cities, Design, and cutting-edge Projects on ArchUp.
