Architectural Services.

Adaptive Reuse & Existing Building Architecture

Los Angeles contains thousands of buildings that no longer serve their original purpose.
The opportunity is not just reuse, it’s whether that reuse can be executed successfully.

Most of the best development opportunities already exist. They simply need to be understood correctly.

We help clients evaluate and transform warehouses, industrial buildings, commercial properties, and specialty facilities into productive new uses, before major commitments are made.

Key challenges we address:

  • Change of occupancy

  • Code compliance and fire/life safety

  • Historic and preservation requirements

  • Structural and seismic constraints

  • ADA upgrades

  • Legacy construction methods and unknown conditions

  • Entitlement requirements

  • Cost and schedule feasibility

Services include:

  • Building assessments and due diligence

  • Change of occupancy analysis

  • Code compliance and upgrade strategies

  • Seismic retrofit integration

  • Historic rehabilitation

  • Renovation and repositioning planning

Interior of a recreational room with two stacks of wooden barrels on blue metal racks to the left, a ping pong table in the middle, and a large open space at the back with outdoor seating and greenery visible through the open doors.
Indoor bouldering gym with climbing walls on each side painted white and covered with colorful holds. The floor is padded for safety. There are a few people in the background, some sitting and some climbing. The ceiling has wooden beams, air vents, and fluorescent lighting.
Spacious, well-lit empty room with wooden floors, white walls, large windows, exposed ceiling beams, and minimal furniture including two beige armchairs and small side tables.
Indoor rock climbing gym with a climber wearing a red shirt climbing a large white wall with colorful holds. The gym features exposed brick walls, large windows, and industrial-style lighting.

Public Sector & Institutional Projects

Public agencies and mission-driven organizations face a different set of challenges.

Procurement requirements, funding restrictions, stakeholder coordination, accessibility standards, and long-term operational considerations all influence project success.

Ziese Architecture is positioned to support public agencies, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and community-serving facilities throughout Los Angeles.

Relevant experience includes:

  • Community facilities

  • Educational facilities

  • Religious institutions

  • Public-serving buildings

  • Specialty facilities

Current certifications and registrations support participation in public-sector opportunities as both a prime consultant and teaming partner.

Colorful modern apartment building with white walls and blue, yellow, and orange accents, large windows, and a concrete driveway with small plants.
Modern lobby with light wood flooring, white walls, a reception counter, glass doors, potted plant, gray chair, and recessed ceiling lights.
A modern apartment complex with a colorful exterior, outdoor staircases, and a children's playground with slides and a small shelter.

Commercial & Tenant Improvements

Commercial projects succeed when design decisions support operational goals.

We work with business owners, landlords, and tenants to create spaces that improve functionality, support growth, and navigate permitting requirements efficiently.

Project types include:

  • Restaurants and hospitality

  • Office environments

  • Retail spaces

  • Specialty commercial uses

  • Industrial and light manufacturing facilities

Interior view of a modern clothing store with a rack of clothes and a display shelf of handbags and accessories.
An open-concept office space with desks, chairs, computers, and cubicles. There are large windows letting in natural light, and some plants and decorations in the background. A blue banner with 'Let's Go Dodgers' is attached to one of the cubicles.

While much of our work focuses on complex commercial, institutional, and adaptive reuse projects, we continue to support select residential clients throughout Los Angeles.

Project types include:

  • Custom homes

  • Estate residences

  • Hillside projects

  • ADUs

  • Fire rebuilds

  • Major renovations

We typically focus on projects involving unusual constraints, complex sites, permitting challenges, or unique program requirements.

Residential Architecture

A modern house with large windows and sloped roofs, surrounded by a well-maintained garden with various plants and flowers. A car is parked in the driveway, and the sky is clear and blue.
Front view of a blue house with a white front door, white-framed windows, concrete steps, and a well-maintained lawn with flowers. A neighboring house is partially visible to the right.

Why Ziese Architecture

  • 24+ years in Los Angeles

  • 200+ completed projects

  • AIA, NCARB, LEED AP

  • Existing building expertise

  • Adaptive reuse experience

  • Fire recovery experience

  • Specialty facility experience

  • Public-sector readiness

Complex projects require more than design.

They require informed decisions made early.

Schedule a Project Assessment
Close-up of various green succulent plants growing in wooden containers outside.
An office workspace with a long desk, multiple computer monitors, and stacks of papers and books. A large architectural display with drawings and photos is mounted on the wall behind the desk.