The 2015 Westside Urban Forum has awarded Michael W. Folonis, Architects a design award in the un-built category for mixed-use projects for the Millennium East Village, located at 2930 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica. The Forum is a forum that focuses on sensible urban planning, rational investment in infrastructure, a clean environment, sustainable ecological practices, improved parks and open space, and affordable housing. It is a forum for those who want to meet, listen and exchange ideas together, and work to develop and improve our urban environment.

The project is a five-story mixed-use 362-unit apartment complex, conceptualized with an emphasis on community-oriented design with ground floor neighborhood-serving commercial. The architect’s conceptual intent was to design a building that was open, accessible, and welcoming to the neighborhood. The design transformed the mobile home park into a vibrant, dynamic pedestrian catalyst and a building that is inclusive, focusing on the social interaction of its tenants, neighbors, and guests. It incorporated solar design principles and sustainable strategies. The design converted the modulation of the trailer park by breaking the massing into well-proportioned components, creating outdoor passive recreational opportunities and encouraging pedestrian interaction with the outside community. Bike parking is available for every unit and alternative transportation is easily accessible with several bus lines and the Metro Light Rail Station nearby. Subterranean parking also include electric car recharging stations.