Following our previous visit to Bunch Design, we are keeping our Meet Your Next Employer series in Los Angeles this week to explore the work of ORA (Oonagh Ryan Architects).
Founded by Oonagh Ryan, and based in the city’s Arts District, the firm has amassed a portfolio spanning residential, commercial, hospitality, and institutional projects. “Our work draws on expertise cultivated from years of working in various communities across Los Angeles,” the firm says about their approach, “tapping into neighborhood cultures, regulatory agencies, local talented designers, contractors and craftsmen who are vital to its success.” In 2023, the firm’s work was honored at the AIA Small Projects Awards while in 2022 the firm was featured as part of our ongoing Studio Snapshot series.
Over on Archinect Jobs, the firm is currently hiring for a Job Captain/Mid-Level Designer to join their Los Angeles team. For candidates interested in applying for a position or anybody interested in learning more about the firm’s output, we have rounded up four residential schemes by ORA that exemplify the firm’s ethos.
The 2,400-square-foot Boomerang House contains both a home and art studio located in the Mar Vista neighborhood. The scheme consists of two separate structures designed for flexibility, with the potential to convert the studio into an accessory dwelling unit in the future. Externally, the scheme features a white, two-story bar-shaped volume that angles away from a red, folded box, forming a shared entryway.
The home features large sliding doors that connect the living area to the pool patio, while the studio extends to a street-facing courtyard. A central skylight provides natural illumination and defines the circulation path. The exterior incorporates textured plaster with wood accents and planting, with the studio’s red color inspired by a strawberry bush from the owner’s previous home. The interior features neutral finishes that highlight furniture and playful design elements.
The Art Barn comprises an 820-square-foot addition with a 545-square-foot patio to a traditional family home in Manhattan Beach. The interventions replace an outdated 1980s addition to enhance interior flow, maximize indoor and outdoor entertainment areas, and provide space for an art collection. The new design expands the interior by 70 square feet, integrating a kitchen and living area with direct patio access. Existing ground floor spaces were reconfigured to improve circulation and connectivity between dining and gallery areas.
The addition features a gabled volume with an asymmetric corrugated metal roof, Douglas fir beams, and knotty cedar boards. A clerestory break in the roof allows natural light to penetrate deeper into the space while a plaster wall extends from the living area to the patio, reinforcing the connection between indoors and outdoors. The transition between the original house and the addition is marked by a walnut cabinet, visually separating the traditional and modern elements. Large barn doors open onto the patio, leading to wide concrete steps and a garden dining area.
The 4,820-square-foot Bookend House, located near the beach in Santa Monica, serves as a private compound with three distinct functions: a family home flanked by a guest house and a music studio. The design optimizes site planning, circulation, and functional relationships to minimize building size while maintaining separate access for privacy. Sustainable strategies tailored to the local climate, along with low-maintenance natural materials, reduce resource use.
The design features a wood and glass volume containing informal living spaces that appear to float above two sunken brick masses containing the guest house and music studio. The brick elements, arranged to facilitate circulation and outdoor garden use, contrast their heavy mass with the transparency of the elevated volume. Strategically placed punched openings provide varying levels of privacy, daylight, and views.
The 631 Lofts project involved the interior remodeling of four 1,900-square-foot penthouse apartments in downtown Santa Monica, transforming them into boutique short-term rental units aimed at young tech professionals in the nearby Silicon Beach area. Originally built in the 1990s atop an Art Deco-style building, the design sought to maximize existing elements within a limited budget while enhancing the units’ appeal.
Inspired by the LA School of architecture from the 1980s, the remodel exposed the wood ceiling structure to add warmth and character. Wood screens at the entryway and new stairway guardrails were introduced to complement the existing structural elements, creating a cohesive design. When the original carpeting was removed, the plywood subfloor was in good condition and was clear-sealed to embrace a casual loft aesthetic.
Meet Your Next Employer is one of a number of ongoing weekly series showcasing the opportunities available on our industry-leading job board. Our Job Highlights series looks at intriguing and topical employment opportunities currently available on Archinect Jobs, while our weekly roundups curate job opportunities by location, career level, and job description.
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