Long Beach’s Studio One Eleven received a rather fantastic recognition from one of the nation’s most prestigious and recognized architectural publications: Best in Practice for a medium firm in the United States.
What does it mean that Studio One Eleven was recognized as ‘Best in Practice’?
The Architect’s Newspaper annually acknowledges the work of national leaders in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry through their awards programs: Best in Design, recognizing significant projects as they were designed; Best in Product, the realization of those very designs; and Best in Practice, recognizing the firms that lead through every level of the industry.
The Architect’s Newspaper recognized Studio One Eleven for that—and this isn’t the first time the firm has received acknowledgment from The Architect’s Newspaper: In late 2023, the publication recognized their Watts Works project in the Best in Design awards.
“The Best Practice award is especially meaningful to us because it honors the incredible team of dedicated people that we have worked with over the years,” said principal Alan Pullman. “Our practice, which has expanded beyond architecture to include landscape, planning, and urban activation projects, has always been about repairing and enriching cities in order to create a better life for the people who live in them. Every member of our staff believes in that endeavor and works tirelessly to fulfill that mission. Being recognized for our work from a national publication such as The Architect’s Newspaper is satisfying because it honors the importance and relevance of our mission, especially as we deal head-on with the challenges that cities are now facing.”
Perhaps even more influential is the fact that that a jury of peers are the overseers of winners—but what makes a business worthy of recognition?
Deciding who wins and who doesn’t isn’t cut and dry
This year’s jury represented a slice of some of the best of American designers, architects, and writers within the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. It included:
- Susan Jones, Principal and Founder at atelierjones
- Stephanie Lin Dean of The School of Architecture
- Jonathan Marvel, Principal at MARVEL
- Wendy Dunnam Tita, Principal and Chief Practice Officer at Page
- Elizabeth “Dori” Tunstall, Founder and Lead Executive Director at Dori Tunstall
- Robert Yuen, CEO and Cofounder at Monograph
- Emily Conklin, Managing Editor at The Architect’s Newspaper
- Jack Murphy, Executive Editor at The Architect’s Newspaper
That very jury of esteemed practitioners and educators examined offices with an eye towards three criteria: design, culture, and social impact.
The design component is broken down into two parts: the firm’s product and the quality of which those projects are completed. The cultural component examines what happens inside the firm, analyzing the internal experience of employees and the overall aura of the office culture. Lastly, the social impact component examines how a firm engages with its community to “envision and enact a better world.”
“Acknowledgement for our design, social impact, and culture is such a great complement to our Watts Works project winning “Best Social Impact” project earlier this year by Architects Newspaper,” principal Michael Bohn said. “We are inspired to continue these beliefs in all our work.”
More accolades: Bohn and Pullman both named some of the region’s most influential people in the region
To add to the accolades, both Bohn and Pullman were recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as among the 500 most influential people in the entirety of the L.A. region.
Here is what the publication had to say about each:
Studio One Eleven’s influence across Long Beach continues
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Studio One Eleven’s influence across Long Beach continues
Whether it’s existing structures like The Current and Long Beach’s tallest building, the Shoreline Gateway tower, or soon-to-be-built buildings like the impressive, 21-story design for 615 E. Ocean Blvd. or the massive Alexan West End project, Studio One Eleven’s influence across Long Beach is significant.
Their designs—such as The Alamitos on Alamitos Avenue just south of Broadway, 4th and Linden, and The Pacific at 3rd and Pacific—have become synonymous with Long Beach’s contemporary landscape. And even more, their reach touches areas surrounding and beyond Long Beach: From the large scale project that is San Pedro’s West Harbor development to The Bloc in Downtown Los Angeles, Studio One Eleven has been one of the most influential organizations in representing Long Beach both here at home and throughout the region.
