Belzberg Architects is now BA Collective
Belzberg Architects was founded in 1997 by Hagy Belzberg who had a clear-sighted ambition…establish a niche firm that was relatable and fearlessly creative. Our small yet spirited group of architects and designers quickly became a recognized practice because of this vision rooted in creating beautiful, thoughtful architecture and interiors. Over the years, we continuously nurtured a collective curiosity and eagerness to explore design beyond the conventional, ever mindful that the best ideas emerge through collaboration.
As we grew, leadership expanded with the addition of firm partners Cory Taylor, Daniel Rentsch, Brock DeSmit, and Jennifer Wu. We found it easier and apropos to simply refer to ourselves as BA, a multidisciplinary studio with a collective voice that reflects the diversity of our group. This in turn brought us to renaming the practice in 2022 to BA Collective, coinciding with the company’s 25th anniversary.
Our current studio space reflects who we are and what we advocate for in our work. We are located on Santa Monica’s vibrant and pedestrian-friendly Main Street with numerous transit options, unique local businesses, and one block from the beach and its recreational offerings. We designed, developed, and constructed our studio using mass timber as a case study for city officials and other building owners to understand the value of this sustainable construction system. We consistently strive for innovative design and practice what we preach. The result is an inspiring environment for conceptualizing and producing our body of work, which is not defined by typologies, scale, or geography, but rather driven by the explorative potential of a given project.
Our clients include large institutions, commercial businesses, consortia, and private individuals. The diversity of our collaborators continues to grow and allows us to broaden our expertise and investigate a wide range of architecture and design possibilities. These partnerships continue to push us in a meaningful direction, both professionally and personally.
LOCATION: Santa Monica, California
LEARN MORE: belzbergarchitects.com
The main concept for the “Screen House” in Santa Monica is directly derived from the family’s living vernacular of Mexico City. Design features created from non-traditional construction processes were incorporated into the home.
Profiles, designed by Belzberg Architects, investigate the design potential of a mid-block property in Mexico City. The eight-story, 24,000 SF office building is located adjacent to a historic three-story building on a busy one-way street in the Cuauhtémoc neighborhood.
XOMA is a seven story, 52,000 square foot hotel designed to immerse guests in the experience of living locally in Mexico City’s historic Roma Norte neighborhood.
We consistently strive for innovative design and practice what we preach. The result is an inspiring environment for conceptualizing and producing our body of work.
The design of the Camelback Residence transports residents to a remote desert-oasis despite its location in a well-populated, suburban neighborhood. The single-story, 10,000sqft house rests on a gradually sloping, two-acre site that is shielded from its surroundings by a low concrete wall and diverse desert planting
Nestled in the Hollywood Hills, Turning Point Residence is designed to maximize space by creating four distinct levels that pivot from one axis line.
Located in the Hollywood Hills, Edges Residence seeks to resolve the desire for both a generous program on a relatively small lot, and the long and low profile of a mid-century bungalow.
The new Bridge Residence turned the challenge of a sloping site into an opportunity to evoke quiet seclusion while creating a grand statement.
