This is the Emerson College Los Angeles (ELA), located in the famous Sunset Boulevard. This building was designed by Thom Mayne and its construction was completed in 2014. This building brings student housing, instructional facilities, and administrative offices to one location, condensing the diversity of a college campus into a single building located in the heart of Hollywood. The two residential towers bridged by a multi-use platform create some sort of frame to the dynamic core dedicated to creativity, learning, and social interaction. This upper platform serves as a flexible armature for outdoor performances, a stage for student films, screenings, and industry events. In addition, the building demonstrates Emerson’s commitment to sustainability with an automated sunshade system that responds to local weather conditions.

This is a public housing model developed by Morphosis in 2006, and it is located in the city of Madrid, Spain. This model of public housing in Madrid is different than any public housing I have ever seen before. This is an impressive and creative alternative to the common housing blocks where units are simply stacked on top of each other. This model has many different layers to it, with many open spaces and public courtyards. This building transmits a feeling of community, a place where social interactions are valued. And it is this feeling of community that makes this building feel more like a village than a regular public housing complex.