--- title: "WORD [Warren Office for Research and Design] — Architects & Building Designers | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/word-warren-office-for-research-and-design-pfvwus-pf~1384698050 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~1384698050.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "WORD [Warren Office for Research and Design]" category: ["Architects"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/2ad3d4fa02534aa2_9160-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "Los Angeles, California 90025, United States" phone: "(310) 463-7137" website: http://www.word-architecture.com rating: 5 review_count: 5 best_of_houzz_awards: 1 followers: 84 last_updated: 2026-09-27 --- # WORD \[Warren Office for Research and Design\] Original Houzz profile: [WORD \[Warren Office for Research and Design\]](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/word-warren-office-for-research-and-design-pfvwus-pf~1384698050) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Architects - **Location:** Los Angeles, CA - **Serves:** Los Angeles, Bel Air, Brentwood Los Angeles, Hollywood, Venice, North Glendale, Glendale, Pasadena, Van Nuys, Inglewood, Burbank, Universal City, Santa Monica, Hawthorne, North Hollywood, Woodland Hills, Encino, Woodland, Gardena, Sherman Oaks, Culver City, Studio City, Tarzana, Westmont, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Lawndale, Willowbrook, Pacific Palisades, West Rancho Dominguez, El Segundo, View Park-Windsor Hills, Malibu, Del Aire, West Athens, Marina del Rey, Topanga, Playa Vista, Hidden Hills, Playa del Rey, San Gabriel Valley, Toluca Lake, Valley Village - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (5 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 1 award (2019), for Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Recommended on Houzz - 1,000 Ideabook Saves "Thoughtful design has the ability to influence our actions, set the stage for our emotions and linger as the framework of our memories." ESSENCE We strive to respond to the unique desires of our clients by infusing qualities inherent in each project. These include common items such as site conditions, pragmatic needs, budget - but also venture into those qualities which are not so easy to categorize, such as emotional yearnings, dreams and ideals. Through a process of dialogue and discovery, we will create a unique residence that is fine-tuned to your needs and delivered to you above and beyond typical expectations. Each project is customized to you - and we will never offer up a 'cookie-cutter' solution. We are experts in contemporary and modern design. Our architectural and design services are available at all scales. As a client you will receive the absolute highest level of service and attention. We welcome all of your questions, so please contact us to discuss your desires. LEADERSHIP Chris Warren is the founding principal and design director of WORD. His designs have won numerous awards–the studio was recently honored as one of ten international Architectural Record Design Vanguards for 2020 and Chris was also selected as one of four Emerging Talents in architecture by the prestigious Monterey Design Conference. With over twenty years of experience, Chris has played an essential role in projects ranging in scale from a 4,500 unit Olympic athletes’ village, to NOAA’s satellite operations headquarters near Washington DC, an adaptive re-use creative office, and a corner café in Los Angeles – all of which earned AIA Design Awards. AWARDS Design Vanguard 2020 - Architectural Record Emerging Talent - Monterey Design Conference 2020 Westside Urban Forum Award 2020 AIA LA Design Award 2019 AIA SFV Design Merit-hospitality 2019 AIA SFV Design Merit-office 2019 AIA SFV Peoples Choice Project 2017 AIA LA Restaurant Design Award 2017 AIA LA Restaurant Design – Peoples Choice 2017 Interior Design Magazine ‘Best of Year’ Finalist 2016 AIA California Design Award-residential 2016 AIA California Design Award-hospitality 2014 AIA LA Design Award ### Services Provided - Architectural Design - Building Design - Home Remodeling - Architectural Drawings - Custom Homes - House Plans - New Home Construction - Home Additions - Home Extensions - Kitchen Design - Sustainable Design - Kitchen Remodeling - Energy-Efficient Homes - Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) - Green Building - Space Planning - Guesthouse Design & Construction - Pool House Design & Construction - Project Management - 3D Home Design - Construction Drawings - New home design - Remodeling ### Areas Served - Los Angeles - Bel Air - Brentwood Los Angeles - Hollywood - Venice - North Glendale - Glendale - Pasadena - Van Nuys - Inglewood - Burbank - Universal City - Santa Monica - Hawthorne - North Hollywood - Woodland Hills - Encino - Woodland - Gardena - Sherman Oaks - Culver City - Studio City - Tarzana - Westmont - West Hollywood - Beverly Hills - Lawndale - Willowbrook - Pacific Palisades - West Rancho Dominguez - El Segundo - View Park-Windsor Hills - Malibu - Del Aire - West Athens - Marina del Rey - Topanga - Playa Vista - Hidden Hills - Playa del Rey - San Gabriel Valley - Toluca Lake - Valley Village ### Typical Job Cost $300,000 - 6.5 million ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | WORD \[Warren Office for Research and Design\] | | Address | Los Angeles, California 90025, United States | | Phone | (310) 463-7137 | | Website | http://www.word-architecture.com | | License Number | C34026 | | Followers on Houzz | 84 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/warrenoffice/ - LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/wordwarren/ - Blog — www.word-architecture.com ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [WORD \[Warren Office for Research and Design\]](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/word-warren-office-for-research-and-design-pfvwus-pf~1384698050) - **Website:** http://www.word-architecture.com - **Phone:** (310) 463-7137 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - Licensed Architect-California - LEED AP - AIA - See bio for full list of awards. - **Best of Houzz:** 1 award (2019), for Service. **Affiliations** - [AIA Los Angeles](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/aia-los-angeles-pfvwus-pf~1829789113) - [LEED AP](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/professionals/schools-and-organizations/leed-ap-pfvwus-pf~1386238498) ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 5 reviews** ### All 5 reviews **★★★★★ — S Rose, June 2018** > We hired Chris Warren for a major house renovation/addition in 2017/18 and had an excellent experience. Chris brings fresh, creative ideas to the table, is responsive, stays cool under pressure and deftly handled all curve balls the City of LA threw our way. Many other architects we interviewed wanted to bring their own vision to our house whereas Chris wanted to use his expertise to turn our vision into a reality. We loved working collaboratively with him throughout the entire process and the finished product exceeded our wildest expectations. We highly recommend Chris and would work with him again in a heartbeat. Undertaking a big renovation project is highly stressful and working with Chris made it that much less stressful. If I could summarize my review into just a few words I would say, if you are lucky enough to have the chance to work with Chris Warren, hire him. **★★★★★ — bobsod1, Aug. 2016** > Chris Warren did a terrific restructure and redesign of our kitchen, dining room and walk-out deck for our hillside home in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles. We are so pleased with the result! Chris' drawings involved removing three walls and integrating 3 rooms into one, large kitchen family space. Chris worked closely with the contractor to remove the walls and replace that entire side of the house with post and beam structural work that opened the space up and the sunlight poured in. He also organized a clever arrangement for a large cooking island and functional flow for larger parties. We also loved working with Chris on smaller details too, like the creation of a slot window to allow light onto a countertop, the search for the perfect collapsable doors to the deck, and nice touches like our big farmer's sink and countertops. Chris is a professional full of tons of ideas and very pleasant to work with. We highly recommend him! **★★★★★ — J S, Aug. 2016** > I have known the principal and founder of WORD, Chris Warren, for years. Chris is a gifted designer who offers a unique perspective and striking creativity to projects that would be difficult to match. The quality and originality of his work is self-evident, and he brings a level of professionalism to match. I could not give WORD a higher recommendation. **★★★★★ — fshngrl, Feb. 2014** > Working with Chris was a joy. He has a keen eye, is extremely knowledgable about materials and products, and makes incredible use of space. I would hire him again. **★★★★★ — fredyue888, Nov. 2013** > Working with WORD and Chris was a great experience. I had a 28k sq ft commercial bldg project that needed to be completed in 3-4 months. It was an office remodel that required Chris to be there every step of the way. Everything that was quoted to me was done on time and through every hurdle, Chris was there to make sure the contractors were shown the way to make things work out. I could not have been happier about the results. ## Selected projects - [Shoreheights II](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/shoreheights-ii-pj-vj~6058703) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 18 - Description: Phase 2 of the original remodel is an extensive interior rethinking of the entire home, including a 500 square foot addition with guest suite, powder room, relocated and enlarged kitchen and entry court/gallery. The existing floor plan has also been reconfigured to create a more coherent space with varying zones of use, enhanced privacy, more natural light and air, and prominent views out toward the Pacific Ocean. The functional plan is supported by details consisting of thin planes, edge detail… - [Shoreheights Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/shoreheights-residence-pj-vj~343885) - Location: Malibu, CA - Photos: 15 - Description: AIA CALIFORNIA ARCHITECTURE DESIGN MERIT AWARD 2016 K+BB BATHROOM OF THE YEAR FINALIST 2013 The project began as an experiment in the combination of simple materials with light, and their ability to lend depth and ethereal qualities to a small space. The result is the transformation of a utilitarian room into a luxurious environment that reflects the mood of the day in a subdued, yet continually shifting, manner. An extensive interior remodel was completed for this single story bungalow house in… - [Rosewood House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/rosewood-house-pj-vj~1870425) - Location: Los Angeles, CA - Photos: 22 - Description: This new house, in the Mar Vista (east of Venice) area of Los Angeles, sits in a narrow lot occupied by a large avocado tree in the rear yard. The house was structured to allow as much light and landscape as possible to be visible, and physically in reach of, the interior. There are multiple small light courts around the edges, and a large portion of the rear living/kitchen area was shaped to allow views to the undisturbed avocado tree. Also, even at just under 2600SF, the house features two ups… - [Mulholland House (on the boards)](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/mulholland-house-on-the-boards-pj-vj~1951684) - Location: Los Angeles, CA - Photos: 8 - Description: This concept design for a house near Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles (Studio City) capitalizes on the home's location, with views to the city. The renovation includes a new second story, which contains a master suite and office/guest room, both connected by a bridge just behind the glass facing the patio. Though located near one another, the two balconies are actually made private by the use of vertical screens. This design element is then stretched across the patio to shade the large expanse of… - [Beverly Hills Residence (under construction)](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/beverly-hills-residence-under-construction-pj-vj~1951805) - Location: Beverly Hills, CA - Photos: 11 - Description: This major remodel of a home in Beverly Hills answers the problem of how to design a very large space and make it livable, not loft-like. Formerly containing three large rooms (dining, living, foyer) and some service spaces, the owners wanted to create one large 'great room' for entertaining purposes, as well as to suit their casual lifestyle. Through a series of low platforms, each the size of a room itself, and with the addition of a mezzanine with glass floor, the great room is open, yet subd… - [Echo Park ADU](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/echo-park-adu-pj-vj~1951761) - Location: Los Angeles, CA - Photos: 3 - Description: This accessory dwelling unit and guest house utilizes geometric gymnastics to create an identity for itself over the existing home's garage. Perched on a hill overlooking Hollywood, the small structure focuses on views, while maintaining complete privacy from the main structure. Though small in footprint, the structure still contains a myriad of details, such as the inverted vaulted ceiling, glass clerestory room separation, kid's sleeping loft and geometric facade entry. And it's red! - [Melrose Place (retail/commercial)](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/melrose-place-retail-commercial-pj-vj~1951855) - Location: Los Angeles, CA - Photos: 11 - Description: We offer up this boutique fashion store here, as it is more similar to high-end residential construction and design than it is to a typical retail store. The existing building is the same scale and height as a typical residence, and the materials and rendering of the spaces was considered as such. The interior features many warm materials, such as white oak ceilings and furniture, glazed and colored imported brick floors, and large expanses of glass. The highlight of the space is the interior co… - [Glendale's Little Ground Cafe (restaurant/cafe)](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/glendale-s-little-ground-cafe-restaurant-cafe-pj-vj~1951297) - Location: Glendale, CA - Photos: 9 - Description: 2016 AIA California Award Winning Design! This project is a cafe/restaurant near the Glendale/Burbank border. We include it here as it exhibits materials and a scale similar to that found in a residential project. This outdoor dining area, with built-in furniture and wood screening elements could easily transition into a backyard dining configuration, or even be used as a facade idea for your home. - [Countersink](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/countersink-pj-vj~344559) - Location: Los Angeles, CA - Photos: 3 - Description: A shallow vanity top has been carved from a single piece of solid surface material. The entire surface can function as either sink or counter top, having angles steep enough to shed water, yet flat enough to stand objects upon. Complete custom sizing and colors are available. Feel free to contact us with questions or to place an order. - [Myrkr Chair](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/myrkr-chair-pj-vj~344620) - Location: Los Angeles, CA - Photos: 8 - Description: Old Norse for "darkness," Myrkr is conceived of light and shadow. Its design answers the modern call for material efficiency and the utilization of technology; however, the common contemporary desires for thinness and gloss have been replaced by volume and subtlety. For Myrkr, modern fabrication techniques have been combined with traditional assembly methods. The lounge chair has no metal connections, but rather is made from a single laser-cut sheet of 12mm plywood and 144 dowels. It has been di… [See all 10 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/word-warren-office-for-research-and-design-pfvwus-pf~1384698050) ## Community Q&A **Q: Window manufacturer?** *(in Photo Questions)* Hello, Love your work!! I want minimal windows just like the ones you used. Would you mind sharing the manufacturer? Thanks! A: Not sure where you are, but in California they're pretty much the standard and can range from affordable to very expensive. Vinyl would be considered cheaper and wood can be equal to or more expensive. The problem with wood is that it needs to be maintained (sanded, resealed) every few years. Aluminum is pretty much maintenance free, as is vinyl. Some companies (I think Jeldwen or Sierra Pacific) offer aluminum on the outside and wood on the inside, which can be nice, and you get the benefits of each. Sierra Pacific is also relatively affordable. **Q: Where did you get this sink?** *(in Photo Questions)* I like this long skinny sink, where did you find the sink? A: It's a Lacava 5051UN001 undermount sink with overflow. You should be able to find it and similar items online. It's a nice sink and very practical. However, be sure to look at the dimensions as it's narrower than typical. Also, the bottom is very flat and sometimes needs to be manually washed out so that toothpaste, etc. makes it down the drain - but that issue exists with many modern sinks. Hope this helps! **Q: Please tell me what you used on the walls?** *(in Photo Questions)* A: Sorry for getting back to you late on your question. This is actually 'acid etched mirror'. It was an experimental use of the product, as it's not recommended for use in wet areas. However, to date, it's working just fine and still maintains the same depth effect and subtle reflection. **Q: Door** *(in Photo Questions)* What brand of door is this? And what are the dimensions of the door? A: Sorry for the late reply...these are typical doors that you'd find at any door wholesaler, flush faced, paint grade. We custom cut the latch edge to close flush with wall, similar to a euro-style door. Also, as this is a private area, we used simple ball latch and cabinet pull finished in white to help further the minimal feel of the space. **Q: tub** *(in Photo Questions)* What is the brand and model of the undermount tub? Thank you very much. A: The tub is a Lacey model with jacuzzi jets from Hydrosystems (located in CA.) The clients are very happy with it. You should feel free to call them as many items are customizable that aren't with other companies. **Q: Floor and tub surround** *(in Photo Questions)* What is the material used for the floor and tub surround? Thank you! A: Floor is an epoxy product from Dex-o-tex (call them to discuss what exact product you need.) It's laid down by trowel over waterproofed underlayment. The walls are an acid-etched mirror product - installation needs to be very detailed to avoid potential water damage. It's all very low maintenance. --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-09-27.*