The Flor Lofts, located at the northeast corner of 7th and Wall Streets, consists of a six-story building featuring 98 studio apartments catering to the chronically homeless, including veterans, low-income persons, and those with special needs. The nearly $50-million project, designed by Koning Eizenberg Architecture, features on-site supportive services, a community room, multiple patios, and a garden.

1317 E. 7th St., Los Angeles, CA 90021 (map it)

20,000 sq ft

98 units

84,890 sq ft

$50 million

Koning Eizenberg Architecture

Each of Flor’s ninety-nine supportive housing units features large windows, micro kitchens, and doorbells to reinforce a sense of respite and privacy. Tree canopied courtyards and strategically located community spaces encourage social interaction and add a sense of well being that offers more than the “architecture of survival” on LA’s Skid Row.
A trellised entry welcomes residents home. To the left are on-site social services and straight ahead lies the garden. Its landscaped outdoor space and ample seating flows up to the second floor community hub of training/activity spaces and laundry. A vegetable garden on the sixth floor adds a rooftop destination with city views.
This project’s strategic approach to massing and egress favors bridges over additional exit stairs. The move offsets cost, while also offering resident benefit. The combination of feature open stair and bridges offers a visible path to upper levels that encourages informal exercise, casual social interaction and passive security.
Canopies, vertical projections and angled recesses protect windows from the sun while also adding varying shadow patterns through the day. They also combine with other sustainable features including PV and solar thermal panels, exterior circulation, and a greywater system (that collects and filters laundry water for irrigation) to contribute to a LEED platinum certification.

2020

Public Private Partnership

Skid Row Housing Trust