Today we’d like to introduce you to Takashi Yanai.
Takashi, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
We are an architecture studio that was founded by Steven Ehrlich in 1978 and today led by four partners including Patricia Rhee, Mathew Chaney and myself, Takashi Yanai. We work on all kinds of projects but always in the modern idiom.
Personally, I focus on the design of houses. Our work celebrates the indoor/outdoor lifestyle that Southern California’s perfect temperate climate allows us and the forward thinking creative culture that has always been part of LA. Los Angeles has always been a place where architects a free to push the boundaries in residential design. Another way in which we reflect being in Los Angeles is through the way we infuse the work with multi-cultural influences. Whether this is from travels and experiences from faraway places like Africa or Japan, or a reflection on the diverse and multivalent cultural perspectives we find locally, our design doesn’t follow a simple formula but is a sensitive reflection of our design team and the people and places we design for.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Creative endeavors are rarely smooth straight-line journeys. Architecture is no exception. There are the pains of growing. Economic dips. But regardless of the speed bumps it has been a great ride and pleasure to make a positive impact for our clients and collaborators, our city and communities.
Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Our company, Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects is a design firm that works across all scales and projects types, but always in the modern idiom. Our award-winning portfolio spans houses, to commercial warehouses, to federal courthouses. We are known for creating beautiful environments that are a reflection of the people who will inhabit them and the places in which they are located. We are proud of how our buildings enhance the lives of our clients and constituents and positively impact the cities and communities we are building in.
Personally, I focus on the design of houses. Architecture can have an amazing amplifying effect on the lives lived within it. So on this very personal scale I am trying to make a positive impact on the lives of my clients, their friends and loved ones, and their immediate communities.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Personal success for me is pretty simple. First and foremost, I want my clients to be happy. I aspire to create beautiful environments for my clients that enhance their lives in unexpected ways. My best reward is to create lifelong friendships through my work.
Next, I want the work to be rewarding and a source of pride for the entire team of designers, engineers, consultants and builders that realize our projects. And of course, I want the work of our studio to be impactful. Recently we are exploring getting more involved in multifamily housing to create better environments for more people.
Contact Info:
- Address: 10865 Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232 - Website: eyrc.com
- Phone: 3108389700
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @eyrcarchitects
Carrillo Residence in Pacific Palisades, CA by EYRC Architects
McElroy Residence in Laguna Beach, CA by Ehrlich Architects
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