KFA Architecture

Architectural Firm
2018 President’s Award recipient

In the late 1990’s, KFA helped to spark the resurgence of the historic core in downtown Los Angeles under the City of Los Angeles’ Adaptive Reuse Ordinance. The firm designed the first three buildings under this landmark ordinance in the Old Bank District, and have since rehabilitated over 40 historic buildings throughout the City. This award recognizes KFA’s critical role in the renaissance of downtown Los Angeles, honoring their experience in adaptive reuse of historic buildings and multi-family housing – both critical components of the Los Angeles adaptive reuse program. This year’s Preservation Design Awards recognizes two of the firm’s projects: the Commercial Exchange Building in Los Angeles and Evanston Court, a 24-unit condominium project in Pasadena.

The firm will be presented with the President’s Award on Friday, October 19, 2018 at the California Preservation Awards ceremony at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. Tickets and sponsorship options are available at californiapreservation.org/awards.

About KFA

KFA reshapes Los Angeles by designing great places where people flourish. They know and love LA like no other place and are proud to have contributed to the fabric of this beautiful city.

In 1975, Wade Killefer, FAIA founded the design build firm that was to become Killefer Flammang Architects. Barbara Flammang, AIA joined him in 1980 bringing experience from working in several large architectural firms. The firm designed its first library in 1983, first school in 1985, first affordable housing project in 1988, and its first mixed-use residential project in 1990.

In the late 1990’s, KFA helped spark the resurgence of the historic core in downtown Los Angeles. KFA designed the first three buildings under LA’s Adaptive Reuse Ordinance in the Old Bank District, and have since rehabilitated over 40 historic buildings throughout the City and County. Over the past 43 years, KFA has built over 250 housing developments and over 15,000 residential units with 4,500 being adaptive reuse units.

In 2017, KFA transformed the Commercial Exchange Building in Downtown Los Angeles into the boutique hotel Freehand LA. Earlier this year, the 250 room NoMad Los Angeles hotel opened, bringing new life to the historic Bank of Italy Building at 7th and Olive. Hollenbeck Terrace in Boyle Heights, Evanston Court in Pasadena, and Immanuel Place in Long Beach are three adaptive reuse housing projects that have recently celebrated their grand openings.

In 2015, KFA marked its 40th anniversary, celebrating the colleagues with whom they have worked and the clients who have challenged them to think big and get things right. Later that year, the firm announced three new partners: Jonathan Watts, AIA joined longtime principals Lise Bornstein, AIA and John Arnold, AIA as partners to expand KFA’s 43-year legacy of reshaping Los Angeles.

KFA has received numerous awards and recognition for its diverse, forward-thinking architecture, and in 2016, KFA was honored with the prestigious AIA California Council Firm Award.