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Architecture and interiors · Marina Del Rey, California

Houses on difficult ground. Buildings that pencil out.

Urban Design Specialists designs custom homes on Los Angeles hillsides and coast, and multi-family buildings that use Density Bonus and TOC well. Led by its founder, Ron Mandalian.

Rebuilding in Pacific Palisades or Malibu? Start with a conversation

A house on a sloping street in Manhattan Beach: a stacked-stone tower beside a planted entry stair, a wood-clad upper floor and wide glazing above the garage.
033rd Street, Manhattan Beach Photograph

Pacific Palisades & Malibu

Rebuilding after the January 2025 fires

We have designed homes in Pacific Palisades and Malibu. If you are planning a rebuild, start with a conversation. A Feasibility Study of the lot can follow when you are ready.

Call the studio

(310) 301-1810

Built work,photographed.

Four completed projects: three houses and an office. Scroll sideways, or use the arrows.

Looking down into the central courtyard of a four-storey apartment building: paths laid in a grid between planted beds and young olive trees, balconies on every floor. 14 Doran Luxury Residences Glendale 33 units · Density Bonus · Courtyard from the air Photograph

Index

Twenty-six of forty projects. Houses from Montecito to Palm Desert, and 13 residential communities, from a 3-unit infill to a 224-unit senior community.

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Showing 26 of 40 projects.Showing 13 custom homes.Showing 11 of the 13 residential communities.Showing 2 commercial projects.

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Southern California, drawn to scale. Pins sit on the city named in the index, not on the street address.Swipe the map sideways.
  1. 01Stradella Bel AirCustom homePhotograph
  2. 02Mulholland Beverly HillsCustom homePhotograph
  3. 033rd Street Manhattan BeachCustom homePhotograph
  4. 04Beverwil Los AngelesCustom homePhotograph
  5. 05Costa del Sol MalibuCustom homePhotograph
  6. 06Shadow Mnt Pacific PalisadesCustom homePhotograph
  7. 07Glen Oaks MontecitoCustom homeRendering
  8. 08Paisano Palm DesertCustom homeRendering
  9. 09Walnut BurbankCustom homeRendering
  10. 10Zorada Los AngelesCustom homeRendering
  11. 11Dellvale EncinoCustom homeRendering
  12. 12Alma Real Pacific PalisadesCustom homeImage to come
  13. 13Via Cresta Pacific PalisadesCustom homeImage to come
  14. 14Doran Luxury Residences Glendale33 units · 4 stories · Density Bonus · BuiltPhotograph
  15. 15Central Lofts Glendale105 units · 8 storiesRendering
  16. 16Kenwood Gardens Glendale40 units · 5 storiesRendering
  17. 17Cerritos Apartments Glendale44 units · Density Bonus · Mixed-useImage to come
  18. 18Mentor Apartments Pasadena42 units · Density BonusRendering
  19. 19Las Palmas Los Angeles89 units · TOC · Mixed-useRendering
  20. 20The Vivere Lofts Anaheim92-unit condominium · BuiltPhotograph
  21. 21The Cannery Ventura78 courtyard condominiumsPhotograph
  22. 22Vello Valley Lancaster172 detached homes · BuiltPhotograph
  23. 23Vintage at Snowberry Riverside224-unit senior communityPhotograph
  24. 24Beach Ave Marina Del Rey3 units · InfillPhotograph
  25. 25Cahuenga Universal Studio CityCommercialPhotograph
  26. 26999 Doheny West HollywoodCommercialRendering

Renderings are labelled. Areas, years and team credits are on each project page.

All 40 projects

What can I buildon my lot?

Enter an address in Los Angeles, Glendale or Pasadena. You get a first read of the zoning, the lot and how many units fit by right and with State Density Bonus, with the working shown. A Feasibility Study turns it into a plan.

Enter an address to check.

Prototype — nothing was sent. The drawing shows sample data, not a reading of your address.

Sample

1200 Example Avenue, Los Angeles

Illustrative address and figures, to show how a result reads.

Example Avenue 60 ft 120 ft Buildable 45 ft limit, sample +1 floor 3 floorsby right 33 ft 44 ft grade
Zone
Multi-family residential, height district 1
R3-1
Lot
60 × 120 ft
7,200 sq ft
Base density
1 unit per 800 sq ft · 7,200 ÷ 800
9 units
Density Bonus
+50% of 9 = 4.5, rounded up
+5 units

9

units by right

14

units with State Density Bonus

Sample result. A bonus of this size needs a qualifying share of affordable units. A first read, not a zoning determination.

Book a Feasibility Study
An architect at his desk marks up printed drawings with a pen.

Founded in 2003by Ron Mandalian.

Ron leads Urban Design Specialists as principal, from the studio in Marina Del Rey. The work runs from hillside houses to a 224-unit senior community in Riverside, through five services.

  1. 1Feasibility Study
  2. 2Planning & Schematic Design
  3. 3Construction Documents & Permits
  4. 4Construction Administration
  5. 5Interior Design

Most projects should start with the first. How we work

Aerial view over the boat slips of Marina Del Rey, where the studio is based. Watch the studio film 84 s · by VH Studios · on Vimeo

Start a project

Prefer to talk first?

(310) 301-1810 info@udspec.com
4519 Admiralty Way, Suite A
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
Instagram @urbandesignspecialists
I'm planning

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Prototype form: nothing is sent from this page.

Prototype — nothing was sent. On the live site this goes straight to the studio.

Project preview

Project photograph

Full project pages will be developed after the concept is selected.