Some architects attempt to liven up drab and uninspiring office spaces by bringing in a little greenery. Spanish architecture firm Selgascano did the opposite for co-working space Second Home Hollywood, bringing the offices outside. It doesn’t hurt that the Los Angeles location practically begs you to spend as much time as possible outdoors with its sunny, temperate climate, but the way the design staggers these organically shaped office pods through the landscape makes Second Home feel a bit like an architectural interpretation of a lemon grove.

The site, formerly owned by the Assistance League of Southern California, was special in the first place. Its primary structure is a classic Neocolonial building designed by Paul Williams (the first recognized Black architect to work in Los Angeles), which the firm renovated for the project. It’s now used as the main entrance for the co-working campus and its largest indoor space, featuring a café, bar, restaurant, event and conference hall, resting areas, terraces, and 200 workspaces. A second building on the lot was demolished to make way for 60 new oval-shaped single-story offices and meeting rooms.
It’s these pods that make the site so unique. Not only are they scattered among palm trees and tropical greenery, but they’re also ringed in glass to offer 360-degree views of the gardens. Birds of Paradise, ficus, ferns, and other plants double as privacy screens for the people working in each ind...