In 2019, architect Amanda Gunawan chanced upon a corner unit in the Biscuit Company Lofts, which originally served as the West Coast headquarters for the National Biscuit Company—better known as Nabisco—in Downtown Los Angeles’s Arts District.

Designed by French-born, Missouri-based architect E.J. Eckel in 1925, the building had been converted by Aleks Istanbullu Architect in 2006 into a live/work complex. Amanda introduced Japanese-inspired touches to soften the industrial language. The harmonious living room features a CB2 sofa, white Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, Knoll Wassily Chair, and a rug and timber bench from Zara Home." layout="" credit="Justin Chung" photoUserId=""/>

It was perfect for the Singapore-born architect, who admired its raw tactility and was looking to sink her roots into the city after studying at the Southern California Institute of Architecture. Since moving to L.A., she’d worked for Morphosis Architects before founding OWIU Design (whose name stands for “Only Way Is Up”) in 2018 with fellow Singaporean Joel Wong.

Amanda appreciated the loft’s good bones as well as its potential for future adaptation, but as with many older buildings, it had its share of quirks, such as uneven floors and walls. “This required additional preparation in terms of leveling and shimming,” she says. “I had to resolve multiple corners, seams, and joints between materials. Although they posed as huge challenges, they also led to novel and interesting design solutions.”

Before: Living and Dining Area

The original living room featured a mirrored wall and bulbous pendant lights that seemed standard-issue, and dining space was tucked back in the kitchen.

After: Living and Dining Area

Amanda removed the mirrors, allowing the interplay of light and shadows to take center stage in the living space, and created a dining area in the open plan to encourage a more convivial atmosphere.

Now, there’s a better flow between lounging, cooking, and dining, and the home reflects Amanda’s love for Japanese culture: Before the pandemic, she made annual trips to the country en route to Singapore.

Before: Mezzanine

While Amanda kept the existing framework of large volumes, thick structural elements, and abundant windows, she expanded the mezzanine to make room for a study and home office outside the bedroom.

After: Mezzanine

“Based on the live/work adaptive reuse guidelines, a loft can have a mezzanine that is a third of the floor area,” says Amanda. “We maximized this available square footage with a triangular extension rather than a rectangular one.” The shape also came about to accommodate new structural columns.

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Before: Kitchen

A row of stainless steel cabinets comprised the existing kitchen, which was a no-go for Amanda. “I personally love cooking for large groups and hosting dinners,” she says. “It was important for me to have a large kitchen with an island so that I could simply turn around to serve the food. The flow in a kitchen is extremely important.”

After: Kitchen

Shifting the stainless steel counters to the center of the kitchen, Amanda built new Baltic birch cabinetry against the wall for additional storage. The original cabinets became the base of a new island, also clad in birch and topped with gray quartz.

Before: Guest Room

At the other end of the kitchen, a white, aluminum-framed sliding glass door enclosed a guest bedroom.

After: Guest Room

Inspired by Japanese ryokans, or traditional inns, Amanda constructed a Baltic birch platform bed with concealed storage to stow away futons. This multipurpose surface also accommodates tea ceremonies and casual gatherings, and is a quiet spot for reading, creative brainstorming, and resting.

Amanda cemented the floor to highlight the transition from the social part of the house to a more introverted space. It continues into the en-suite, where an organically edged walnut counter channels the Japanese wabi-sabi aesthetic.

“Given the typically brute nature of exposed beams and heavy structural elements, one would not usually correlate an industrial building with the minimalist and non-imposing nature of a Japanese-styled home to create a harmonious look,” reflects Amanda. At Biscuit Loft, they are a perfect marriage.

More Before & After:

Clever Changes Bring Out the Charm in a 1920s Seattle Bungalow

An Architect Resuscitates Her Funky Beach Bungalow in Maine

Project Credits:

Design: OWIU Design / @owiudesign

Builder: Ernesto Garcia

Joinery Work: Inflexion Builds / @inflexionbuilds