1216-24 La Cienega Boulevard

1216 La Cienega Boulevard, also known as the Lotus Apartments, was constructed in 1928 and is part of the Courtyard Thematic District. Each of the buildings in the Courtyard Thematic District includes a partially enclosed outdoor space that individual units share as a common area. Fireplaces, benches, water elements, and landscaping elaborate the courtyard spaces as outdoor living areas. The courtyard housing type reflects significant components of the cultural and architectural development of Southern California. Courtyard housing reflects the region’s mild climatic conditions by extending interior spaces into the outdoors. It integrates the Southern California dream for individual housing and a yard with the practical need for higher density development. Each building in the grouping embodies distinctive characteristics of various period revival styles. The buildings reflect significant patterns of growth and settlement in West Hollywood. The increasing demand for housing that accompanied the rapid growth of the Los Angeles region in the 1920s was well-served by the high density of the courtyard building. The Fountain Corridor in particular possesses a high concentration of elaborate courtyard designs. (Photo Credit: Tony Coelho)