Project of the Month
Urban Oasis: Alexan Fontaine Marina del Ray, Calif. The trickling sounds of a gentle, cascading waterfall can be heard, exuding a sense of calming tranquility. A tiny pond below is set amidst a lush tropical landscape. Nothing beats paradise.
Except this is no ordinary oasis. It’s actually the Alexan Fontaine, an apartment project located deep within an urban commercial district.
The four-story, 102-unit apartment complex is located in Marina del Rey, Calif., and is managed by Trammell Crow Residential. While the apartment’s inner sanctum offers residents a slice of paradise, the project’s outer world is anything but a tropical haven. Alexan Fontaine is surrounded by an industrial streetscape: A public storage facility is located nearby, as well as a dog kennel and automobile detailing shop.
That’s why the folks at Architects Orange designed Alexan Fontaine to focus “inward” rather than out. RC Alley, a partner at the Orange, Calif.-based Architects Orange, says designing the project around its unappetizing views was one of the toughest challenges. So, the firm concentrated the project around two courtyards. One features a waterfall; the other offers a tropical-themed pool.
All the units are arranged in a stacked flat configuration with lofts on the upper floors. One- and three- bedroom units range in size from 645 square feet to 1,482 square feet, with nine-foot ceilings in the living areas. Monthly rents range from about $1,700 to $3,400, and Michael Genthe, managing director at Trammell Crow Residential, says the project is about 95 percent occupied. –Abby Garcia Telleria