STUDENT HOUSING EXPERIENCE
EVERY LINE DRAWN EVERY COMPLEX DETAIL EVERY CHALLENGE IS A PART OF OUR
COLLECTIVE STORY A LEGACY OF
COLLABORATION
THAT WE CARRY
TOGETHER INTO THE
FUTURE
The AC Martin family of companies consists of AC Martin and Togawa Smith Martin. Through this family of architects and designers, we can create a team of experts when experience, expertise, and efficiency matter. Each firm possesses a deep bench of knowledge, more than just a figurehead or a name leading a practice area in a larger national or international firm, the AC Martin family of over 150 experts is an alliance created to focus on core sectors – residential, commercial, retail and hospitality – and deliver high quality results for our clients.
our team We are a team with diverse expertise and wide-ranging experiences, yet with shared ideals. Our companies each seek to build collaborative environments that encourage constant dialogue and the ongoing exchange of ideas; environments that promote research, creativity, innovation, and commitment to excellence. Together, with our unique strengths and collective resources, we are positioned to provide the highest level of client service and design excellence.
Paul Coleman
AIA, NCARB, LEED-AP PRINCIPAL, COO / AC MARTIN /
Jeff Mertzel
SR ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF DESIGN / TSM /
Christopher King
AIA, IIDA DESIGN PRINCIPAL / AC MARTIN /
Tom Greer
AIA, PRINCIPAL / TSM /
Tom Hsieh
AIA, LEED-AP; PRESIDENT / PAEA (PLANNING, ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING ALLIANCE) /
Jim Dixon
Robert Newsom
AIA, LEED-AP PRESIDENT / TSM /
FAIA. PRESIDENT / AC MARTIN /
Matthew Cobo
AIA, ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL / TSM /
Gail Bouvrie
AIA, LEED-AP DESIGN PRINCIPAL / AC MARTIN /
Paul Coleman
our team
Paul has over 23 years of experience working on projects in various market sectors, including commercial, education, institutional, and residential architecture. He specializes in navigating multi-disciplinary teams through the alternative delivery methods that are so prevalent in today’s built environment. As COO, Paul focuses his efforts on major projects and office leadership.
Jeff Mertzel Jeff oversees all designs as TSM’s Director of Design. With over 15 years of residential experience, Jeff is a true all-around contributor. He is involved in the design aspect of each project from the conceptual phase through construction. Jeff’s vast design experience includes multifamily, mixed-use, affordable and senior housing, as well as assisted-living and student housing. His passion for design has allowed him to explore new residential building prototypes and creative solutions to achieve maximum site densities.
Christopher King Chris co-leads the design department at AC Martin. Under his direction, our Interiors department services corporate, hospitality, restaurant, market-rate housing, and higher education clients. His approach to each project is thoughtful and collaborative with the goal to create fresh, authentic, inspiring, and comfortable environments that reflect our clients’ vision.
Tom Greer Tom possesses creative design experience in all phases of architecture, master and specific planning, 3D visualization, graphic design and marketing. Throughout his 30 year career, he has been a strong client liaison and project team leader on complex multi-family, mixed-use and urban infill developments. With his proven project management and leadership skills, Tom is highly attuned to the client’s needs as he orchestrates the TSM team to capture their vision.
Tom Hsieh Tom is the former President and Design Principal of TSM. Aside from the daily operation of the company, Tom was also directly responsible for the successful delivery of projects from conceptual design to construction. During his formal tenure at TSM, Tom has been personally involved with the design of over 12,000 dwelling units. Many of Tom’s projects have won industry awards for design, innovation and technical excellence. He brings an unique perspective to architecture and problem solving which has contributed to the success of TSM. Today, Tom’s passion for multi-family design continues as he provide senior design leadership on major projects and remains a valuable resource to TSM clients. His primary focus is with the management of TSM’s parent company, the Planning Architecture and Engineering Alliance (PAEA) and providing his skills and experience to all sister companies under PAEA.
Robert Newsom
Jim Dixon
Bob brings over 40 years of experience and leadership in the architectural profession to AC Martin. His work demonstrates a commitment to making great places in the public and private realm. Throughout his career he has been involved with a wide body of work, spanning several markets, building types, and clients across the nation. He has led design teams in Aviation, Education, Civic, Government, Sports and Entertainment, Healthcare, and Commercial projects for which he has been recognized by local, state and national organizations for design and technological excellence.
Focusing on project management and technical issues, Jim contributes to all projects at TSM. With almost 30 years of experience in architectural planning, design and management of multi-family developments, Jim is knowledgeable in all aspects of project development from conceptual design through construction administration. He has completed more than 4,000 units encompassing new and renovated affordable housing, market-rate residential, hotels, and mixeduse centers.
Matthew Cobo Matt’s architectural career spans 15 years and ranges from design to construction. He is skilled at managing complicated projects, utilizing his expertise in entitlements, budgeting, programming and technical construction issues. Matt’s experience includes high-rise residential towers, mixed-use, affordable housing, student housing and retail centers. His passion drives him to understand the needs of complicated projects and working with all stakeholders to arrive at optimum solutions.
Gail Bouvrie With over 30 years of experience designing buildings that celebrate the uniqueness of place and program, Gail brings considerable talent, energy and passion to her projects, infusing them with a sensitivity to context, commitment to sustainability and innovative design processes. Gail has an amazing capacity to listen to her clients and translate their goals into a physical environment through a holistic design approach.
togawa smith martin SELECT CLIENT LIST
CSU NORTHRIDGE CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY CSU CHICO UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS
Established in 1975, the architectural and planning office of Togawa Smith Martin (TSM) is prominent in the field of residential mixed-use design.
Located in Downtown Los Angeles, and with many of the nation’s top developers and public housing agencies among its clients, the firm has designed over 40,000 housing units throughout the Western United States. Acclaimed for its unique ability to blend sensitive design with cost efficiency, TSM has been recognized with numerous design awards from both governmental and professional organizations. TSM is known in the housing industry for its unparalleled service to clients’ needs. Principal Participation Each TSM project maintains a lead principal as its director throughout its entire duration. This establishes the highest level, single point of contact and responsibility possible. For each project, additional principals participate during the project’s design and development process, adding valued experience. The direct involvement of principals throughout the process is the best assurance that TSM’s complete depth of experience and expertise is embedded in each and every project’s deliverables.
Creative, Collaborative Solutions
Residential Studio
TSM operates in a creative, collaborative approach to problem solving. The most applicable and productive solutions come from varied sources. TSM’s collaborative approach draws on the most applicable and innovative concepts, materials and processes from varied sources to achieve the highest level of creative expression and effective implementation.
Founded over 40 years ago, Togawa & Smith merged with AC Martin in 2005 to form Togawa Smith Martin (TSM), becoming part of the oldest continuously operating architectural group in Los Angeles.
Agency Knowledge TSM has an in-depth understanding of relevant codes and has the ability to effectively integrate these guidelines into each project’s specific conditions for the most effective solutions. TSM’s years of experience in applying and negotiating code interpretations with varied agencies provides each client with an extra design attribute not typically provided by all architectural firms. Experience TSM has been involved in the practice of designing, innovating and helping with the success of our clients for more than 40 years.
The merging of the two firms created a strong working relationship, combining their individual competencies in multiunit residential and commercial projects to form a synergistic approach. It brought together a strong team of highly respected, award-winning architects, designers and planners who are noted for their commitment to design excellence and outstanding service to their clients. TSM offers the personalized, hands-on and specialized service of a medium-sized office with the depth of professional, technical, and political resources of a longstanding major architectural firm.
CSUN NORTHRIDGE, CA
PHASE ONE TSM collaborated with AC Martin Partners on this student housing project at CSU Northridge. The design is organized around a “living room� concept, creating a comfortable, familiar, gradually scaled social setting that allows students to adapt to the university experience. Supplementing the existing University Park apartments, this project provides variety and choice within the CSU Northridge housing program.
CHAPMAN
WESTVILLAGE
ORANGE, CA
West Residential Village is providing Chapman University with on-campus housing for 400 students. The new residence hall is a key component to an integrated master plan which also includes an adaptive reuse of the Villa Park Orchards Packing House built in 1918. Designed by our sister company AC Martin, the historic Packing House will contain an exciting array of student services, academic uses and a museum. A new central courtyard will act as a circulation hub between the Packing House and student housing while providing a dynamic outdoor space for students to relax and socialize. The new residence hall will be differentiated from existing structures on site by its contemporary design and use of exterior brick veneer accents, visually aligning it with other buildings on the Chapman campus. The building will have a combination of sawtooth and flat roofs, recalling the roof forms of the historic Packing House. The exterior walls will be clad in metal siding at the upper stories and cement plaster at the lower stories, to compliment the surrounding neighborhood’s agri-industrial context.
THE INDUSTRIAL FEEL HELPS GIVE IT THE LOOK OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
David Sonderegger Sr Vice President Lowe Enterprises, DT News
CSUN NORTHRIDGE, CA
Coming off the successful design and implementation of the new freshman suites at Cal State Northridge, the team of TSM and AC Martin Partners was selected once again to design the second phase. The university specifically requested the programmatic spaces and architectural expressions from Phase 1 be reused in Phase 2. Situated at the gateway to the student
housing village, the project consists of 396 beds and 6,300 sf of centrally located community amenities. Great importance was placed on creating a feeling of community for freshmen and integrating the two phases into a cohesive whole, while also recognizing that the common area functions need to feel welcoming to the entire student housing population.
PHASE TWO NORTHRIDGE, CA
THE INDUSTRIAL FEEL HELPS GIVE IT THE LOOK OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
CHICO, CA TSM teamed up with AC Martin Partners to provide design and construction services for this project on the Chico campus of CSU. Located at a popular pedestrian route between university village housing and the academic core, the project is based on a “village� concept, forming a vibrant courtyard between itself and the existing Whitney Hall. An academic program building and a student dining facility participate in this space, with a large open stair leading to a second-level common space for the residential units above
CSU CHICO
UNIVERSITY GATEWAY LOS ANGELES, CA
INSPIRED BY THE INDOOROUTDOOR LIFESTYLE OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA University Gateway is a mixed-use student housing project adjacent to the campus of the University of Southern California. This eight-story concrete structure contains a bookstore, restaurants, retail, and student facilities on the ground floor, with housing units above for 1,600 students.
FILMMAKERS VILLAGE ORANGE, CA
DYNAMIC BLEND OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND NEW CAMPUS VIBES The Filmmakers’ Village is a unique project at Chapman University which combines historical buildings with new construction to provide dynamic student housing. This 397 bed project has been designed for students of the film school. In addition, 5,200 SF of multi-purpose space have been integrated into the project which will allow for activities such as casual meetings, private film showings,
film editing and formal showings for the community. The design of the building’s exterior reflects the industrial nature of the neighborhood where old warehouses and packing houses still stand. Elements of historical significance are preserved and seamlessly integrated into the design of the building and landscaping. This project includes the restoration and tenant improvement of historical buildings, which serve as program space for the residents, as well as a 358 stall attached parking structure.
FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PASADENA , CA
Located on the North Campus of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, this project consists of a common below-grade garage with four buildings above, one of whose ground floor is given over to resident services and study facilities. The housing units range from single to four-bedroom family units and include innovative townhouse and single loft configurations. Anticipating a long life cycle, the Seminary opted to frame these buildings using a light gage metal stud bearing wall system
This new residential facility on the CalArts campus in Valencia, developed in collaboration with AC Martin Partners, is based on the strategy of breaking down the large scale of the university campus into smaller social groupings, to help students develop the networks that help socialize them to the expectations, requirements, and norms of university life. Groups of 26-36 students in double rooms share a living unit that includes a living room, a study room, and a laundry room. The double rooms are configured with “Jack and Jill� bathrooms shared by up to 4 students. The entire project contains 200 residential rooms in 4- and 5-story buildings, with a ground floor containing classrooms, a cafeteria, and performance spaces. These buildings are arranged around outdoor spaces and courtyards which serve as additional gathering and performance locations.
CAL ARTS
RESIDENTIAL VALENCIA , CA
LARGE SCALE BROKEN DOWN
WREN LOS ANGELES, CA
As downtown Los Angeles experiences its biggest building boom in decades, this contemporary 362 unit mixed-use project is playing a major role in the exciting transformation of South Park’s urban skyline. WREN’s design incorporates a community-serving public park while retail space is strategically located at the site’s prominent corner of Pico Blvd. and Olive St. A porte-cochere provides convenient drop off for two residential lobbies. Built in a Type III modified construction type with two-levels of underground parking, a density of 195 residential units per acre is achieved. Unit designs feature double height lofts with private patios and unique interlocking floor plans with balconies. A full array of resident amenities is provided including two pet-friendly dog runs and a dog wash center.
THE INDUSTRIAL FEEL HELPS GIVE IT THE LOOK OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
David Sonderegger Sr Vice President Lowe Enterprises, DT News
The Garey Building is a 320 unit and 15,000 SF commercial mixed-use project in the Arts District of Los Angeles. For this project, Garey Street was vacated to create an exciting pedestrian promenade connecting 1st and 2nd Street. Along this promenade are retail stores, restaurants, water fountains, outdoor seating and art displays. The brownstone walk-up units
at ground level draw inspiration from East Village in New York. In addition, elements of the adjacent warehouse and industrial architecture were incorporated into the building’s design. Six separate courtyards, with different types of activities for residents, have been provided on the podium along with two recreation centers along the promenade.
THE
GAREY BUILDING LOS ANGELES, CA
STOA LOS ANGELES, CA
RESIDENCES WITH SOUL STOA DTLA is a place to be inspired. A place that caters to your interests and reflects your personal style. A mash up of the rich historic tradition of St. Vibiana’s and the authentic downtown experience and a tech savvy sophisticated lifestyle. It captures the unique flavor of its location and elevates the everyday experiences of its residents. Resortlike amenities, a fully-equipped fitness center, and lots of spaces for playful collaboration and indulgence. Residences with Soul.
444 SOUTH FLOWER ST SUITE 1220 LOS ANGELES, CA 90071 213/614-6050 WWW.TSMINC .COM
A FA M I LY O F C O M PA N I E S