Meet Architect Todd Conversano of West Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Todd Conversano.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Todd. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My interest and work in the field of Architecture started early in my childhood. My father was an interior designer whom my brother and I worked for most summers during our middle school and junior high years. Both of my parents were artists as well, so my interest in design was well rooted. In school my classes tended to lean heavily towards the arts and to math and the sciences. I always knew I was going to practice some form of design after college but I was not yet sure which area. Later in high school I was pulled towards architecture and focused my class accordingly.

Undergraduate school was at UC Berkeley with a major in Architecture. I also studied in Cambridge, England for a summer, and CCAC art school in Oakland, CA for a semester.

For graduate school I attended the Southern California Institute of Architecture (Sci- Arc) and further developed my architectural style which was moving toward the innovative and somewhat experimental. Eric Owen Moss influenced my greatly during graduate school, and after I worked for him for six years.

After working at EOM, I wanted to gain project management experience so I worked at Sony Pictures in Culver City, and later at DreamWorks where I co-managed the design and construction of their Glendale offices.

After 3 years at DreamWorks, I opened up my office in West Hollywood.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Yes it has been a relatively smooth road. Since I came from an artistic family, I had somewhat of an easy decision to choose design and architecture as my career. Maybe it was not even a choice but more of a set direction early on in life. My only real struggle was to decide to leave my father’s office where he was a flourishing and pioneering casino designer and forage out on my own in the field of architecture.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I am a small company and specialize in innovative, challenging, contemporary design. I design both residential and commercial projects ranging from residential remodels, additions, and new homes, to store interiors, new smaller commercial buildings, condominiums, etc. My design philosophy is one where I do not enter into a project knowing what the design look or outcome will be, but investigate the interesting aspects and variables of each project which will guide the design to its end. Through this process one discovers, and then manipulates, those findings, then infuses the art with the pragmatic aspect from site and client. I always engage my clients to provide personal input which infuses meaning into each aspect of the project.

My projects aim to be very personal – designed individually for each client. I intend to create somewhat if a personal paradigm in which users live or interact. Although built environments are inherently static, I like to let the design allow the user to view each project in different ways, and to look at the project’s parts and whole in changing ways throughout their life together.

I am very hands on with my clients and give them lots of time with me throughout the design process. I listen and interpret their needs, and try to digest their interests, wants, dreams, etc which infiltrates my design…

I also research and use materials in interesting and different ways, and try to recognize and then use the surprises that arrive when going through designing something, and include that input into my work.

I am most proud of my company because I have been able to work on very interesting projects throughout my career, and have been able to collaborate with many great clients who allow me to create projects that get me deeply involved.

What were you like growing up?
As a small child I was very outgoing, but then became somewhat shy during elementary school. I always had very good friends though but could not put myself out there and engage life to a greater extent. I felt the lesser for that early on, but after high school I became very interested in school and learning, and opened up. I had many interests that I pursued. For example, I studied epistemology and photography at Columbia University for a summer, English Architectural history at Cambridge University in England, electronics, auto mechanics, physics, and of course architecture, and I collect vintage comic books. As a child at home, I made many toy models and wood airplane models, a skill that became important in my early career. I enjoy travel, but am very happy at home too. Great food, great company, a great movie, and a great parking space are some of my joys.

Contact Info:

• Address: 9157 Sunset Blvd., Suite 211
  West Hollywood, CA
• Website: toddconversano.com
• Phone: 310 273 6993
• Email: [email protected]
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/todd-conversano-architect-west-hollywood-3

Image Credit:
Todd Conversano
Joel Mark

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.