The bold geometric form and visible transition in section from a square to a triangle, appealed to the creative advertising agency that occupies this office building. The tenants felt that the building and the high visibility resulting from its prominent raised location reflected their own ethos of creativity and innovation. As a “gateway” to the campus-like cluster of buildings and landscape by EOM, the building announces to the world that something important and unique lies within.












Three existing warehouses in an old industrial area of Culver City, that at the time was largely derelict and unoccupied, were converted to offices that would attract a new type of tenant who was less interested in the usual amenities of commercial space, such as a downtown location or conservative building type, and more interested in the technical infrastructure of the building and a stimulating work environment. In the warehouse closest to the street, chemicals used by a former tenant had leaked out over a number of years and contaminated the soil. The first warehouse was demolished in order to gain access to the substandard earth. That earth was removed, leaving an enormous cavity. Rather than filling the hole, it was reshaped to form a large outdoor theatre/garden with seating for 600.

The architects of EOM worked closely with the contractor and subcontractors to devise an efficient means of construction. By using the offices advanced computer modeling, components of the steel frame could be analyzed and configured for economy and ease of fabrication. One especially innovative technique devised by the team and the contractor was to fabricate the entire vertical assemblies for the service and circulation cores off site and essentially “bolt” them to the structure, resulting in a significant savings in cost and time.

The Stealth offers a variety of space/shape and user flexibility for their open and closed production area, conference and office spaces. An essential idea of the building is not to produce a single shape but rather an evolving section over the length of a building. The transformation in section from a square to a triangle provides a constantly varying sequence of interior and exterior spaces. The flexible design anticipates a regular rearrangement by the tenant of the work areas. The exterior bridges and mezzanine level take advantage of the Southern California climate and increases the area of possible open seating, lounge and informal gathering areas for the tenants. There was a conscious decision to provide a building that had a distinct identity to which potential tenants could identify with their company. The building’s location near a major thoroughfare in Culver City and as a building that acts as a public gate to a campus like site behind it, makes this identity even more powerful.

“Applaud the clients with the vision to support this building, and envy the tenants who will step each day into such an intelligent, inquisitive, and mysteriously joyous environment."

-Joseph Giovannini, Architecture Magazine.

Program: Office

Area: 50,000 sf

Selected Awards:

Business Week/Architectural Record Award2003
33rd LA Architectural Award 2003
Honor Award, American Institute of Architects, California Council 2002
Merit Award, American Institute of Architects, Los Angeles Chapter 2001
LA Business Council Design Award, 2001

Selected Publications:

Office Buildings: A Design Manual, Birkhauser, featuring the Stealth, ed. Birgit Klauck, 2002
So Cal Real Estate, 2003
Innovation: New Architecture Magazine, 2003
L’Architettura (Italy), Stealth, by Emilia Giorgi, 2003
Business Week, “The Business Week/Architectural Record Awards”, November 5, 2003, The Stealth
L.A. Architect, January/February 2002
Baumeister, (Germany) Stealth, by Sebastian Knorr, November 2001
Architecture, “Constant Change,” by Joseph Giovannini, The Stealth, November 2001
Lotus 109 (Italy), “Eric Owen Moss and Culver City,” by Luca Molinari, 2001
Architecture, “Eric in Wonderland,” by Joseph Giovannini, March, 2001
GA Document 64, “Eric Owen Moss: Stealth, Buildings One & Two,” by Yoshio Futugawa, February, 2001
GA Documents 61, “Eric Owen Moss: The Stealth”, April 2000

Photo Credits: Tom Bonner

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