Prolific Danish firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has returned stateside with a newly unveiled proposal for Los Angeles' Arts District. Dubbed 670 Mesquit, the project features a couple of large mixed-use stepped concrete buildings that include office space, residential units, and hotels.
Assuming the project goes ahead (which is not definite yet), 670 Mesquit will see BIG repeating the basic process behind Via 57 West, by blending two different types of buildings. Whereas Via 57 West mixes the courtyard and skyscraper, 670 Mesquit aims to combine a downtown warehouse and a Case Study House.
"We have imagined a hybrid of two unique local typologies: the downtown warehouse and the case-study house," says Bjarke Ingels. "Like a flexible framework the project operates on two scales: the big bare bones of the buildings and the human-scale completion for its individual inhabitants. The freedom of the warehouse loft meets the individual customization of the stick-built case study house."

The design calls for two stepped concrete buildings organized into a roughly L shape and divided into cubes. It comprises 241,548 sq m (2.6 million sq ft) of floorspace in total, split between 250 plush homes, two hotels, and a significant area of office space.
The renders depict lots of impressive glazing and greenery enlivening the austere concrete grid superstructure, including green roof sections. The landscaping looks extensive, too.
670 Mesquit also involves input from engineering firm Arup, amongst others, and would be part of a larger redevelopment push in the area that includes Frank Gehry's LA River redevelopment. Planning permission is still being pursued so it's too early to tell whether or not it will be realized.
Source: BIG