MAD Architects’ Second U.S. Project: Biophilic “Star” In L.A.

After completing its first U.S. project in August 2020 — the midrise, mixed-use Gardenhouse in Los Angeles’ Beverly Hills — MAD Architects plans to return to the city with the Star, a 22-story biophilic office building with a thin band around its exterior that creates the profile of an egg, The Architect’s Newspaper reports, citing the Los Angeles Times. Its massing resembles three glassy funnels stacked within one another with a glass dome on top. Notably, the band would serve as a track for a funicular to carry passengers up to an enclosed restaurant, event space and observation deck. The 500,000-ft² structure is envisioned on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, and would require zoning changes. Star incorporates landscaped portions designed by L.A.-based SALT Landscape Architects that include terraces on the 10th and 17th floors and seating and gathering places for employees. If all goes as planned, the building could open in 2026.