Why do we remember buildings, locations, and experiences? Even a place visited in our childhood can conjure emotions that make an impact on us through the memories they create. Angela Brooks and Larry Scarpa explain that the work of Brooks + Scarpa Architects aspires to make a lasting impression out of even a brief encounter. “We try to leave something behind,” says Scarpa, “something ingrained in people’s memory that sticks with them.”
© Ben Benschneider
The Los Angeles-based firm shares the philosophy behind their design process in a profile from Breadtruck Films entitled “Memory: Frame.” The four-minute micro-documentary incorporates interview scenes with Angela Brooks and Larry Scarpa, drone footage of a few of the firm’s projects, and shots of the design process in progress at their studio.
© John Linden
Brooks explains that regardless of a project’s scale, the firm considers the experience of everyone who will eventually use the space. For example, their rehabilitation center for disabled veterans uses a large elevated aperture in the facade to maintain a connection between the residents and the street while protecting them from the road. The video also offers insight into the working dynamic between the two partners of the firm. A few interesting visuals reveal how their early drawings came to life as finished buildings. Also, the architects’ perspective on energy optimization and minimal site disruption as key aspects of future design.
© Tara Wucjik
Featured projects include The Six, Angle Lake Transit Station, Raleigh’s Contemporary Arts Museum, the Sorenson Center for the Arts in Utah and the Yin-Yang House, whose residents have “never, ever received a utility bill” according to Scarpa.
News via: Breadtruck Films