---
title: "URBAN OPERATIONS — Architects & Building Designers | Houzz"
canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/urban-operations-pfvwus-pf~184924258
markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~184924258.md
entity_type: LocalBusiness
business_name: "URBAN OPERATIONS"
category: ["Architects"]
image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/15b3e85c01060e8f_1745-w400-h400-b1-p10--.jpg
address: "2820 North Main Street, Los Angeles, California 90031, United States"
latitude: 34.0783
longitude: -118.2113
phone: "(323) 644-1415"
website: http://www.urban-ops.net
rating: 0
review_count: 0
followers: 107
last_updated: 2026-11-05
---

# URBAN OPERATIONS

Original Houzz profile: [URBAN OPERATIONS](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/urban-operations-pfvwus-pf~184924258)

## Professional summary

- **Primary category:** Architects
- **Location:** Los Angeles, CA
- **Serves:** Los Angeles
- **Houzz rating:** 0.0 out of 5 (0 reviews)

## About

### Houzz Badges

- Houzz Influencer
- 10,000 Ideabook Saves
- Locally owned

Urban Operations is a full-service architecture firm located in Los Angeles, CA.  We specialize in custom residential homes, and are experts in hillside construction and designing for constrained urban sites.

Architect and principal John Southern founded Urban Operations in 2005. The firm specializes in architectural design and construction, from custom hillside homes to refined metropolitan interiors, and engages in cultural investigations and critical commentary through its research division, urbanops.org.

Based in Los Angeles, Urban Operations has designed and built homes across the city, overseeing the process from site procurement though completion, and in some instances simultaneously acting as developer, architect, and builder.

Southern’s design perspective combines modern aesthetic sensibilities with over ten years of hands-on construction experience. He understands the challenges of producing cost-conscious and visually elegant architecture in the contemporary world.

The firm’s design approach balances minimalist interiors with expressionist building forms that are site-specific and highly functional.

Natural light and carefully curated material palettes produce flexible spaces for any lifestyle and interiors are sculpted in order to produce visual effects that delight, but do not overwhelm the senses.

Landscape and exterior environments play a central role in every design project, so that outside and inside blend together to form a singular spatial experience.

### Services Provided

- Architectural Design
- Building Design
- Home Remodeling
- Architectural Drawings
- Custom Homes
- New Home Construction
- Home Additions
- Home Extensions
- Kitchen Design
- Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
- Space Planning
- Pool House Design & Construction

### Areas Served

- Los Angeles

### Typical Job Cost

$800,000.00 - 1.3 million

## Business Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Business Name | URBAN OPERATIONS |
| Address | 2820 North Main Street, Los Angeles, California 90031, United States |
| Phone | (323) 644-1415 |
| Website | http://www.urban-ops.net |
| License Number | C-31796 |
| Followers on Houzz | 107 |

## Contact

- **Houzz profile:** [URBAN OPERATIONS](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/urban-operations-pfvwus-pf~184924258)
- **Website:** http://www.urban-ops.net
- **Phone:** (323) 644-1415

## Selected projects

- [Clip and Shift House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/clip-and-shift-house-pj-vj~6399373)
  - Location: Not specified
  - Photos: 6
  - Description: Designed and constructed by Los Angeles architect, John Southern and his firm Urban Operations, Clip and Shift House is a contemporary hillside home in the cosmopolitan neighborhood of Highland Park. Nestling into its steep hillside site, the house is a modulated cascade of domestic program. The first floor is conceived as an open plan, and features strategically located light-wells that flood the home with sunlight from above. On the second floor, each bedroom has access to outdoor space, decks…
- [Ronda Vista](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/ronda-vista-pj-vj~6289378)
  - Location: Not specified
  - Photos: 1
- [2636 Corralitas Drive](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/2636-corralitas-drive-pj-vj~165254)
  - Location: Los Angeles, CA
  - Photos: 13
- [Workhouse](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/workhouse-pj-vj~165733)
  - Location: Los Angeles, CA
  - Photos: 4
- [1065 Park Avenue](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/1065-park-avenue-pj-vj~229791)
  - Location: New York, NY
  - Photos: 6
- [942 Robinson](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/942-robinson-pj-vj~442598)
  - Location: Los Angeles, CA
  - Photos: 13
- [Slice and Fold House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/slice-and-fold-house-pj-vj~6086507)
  - Location: Los Angeles, CA
  - Photos: 11
  - Description: Designed and constructed by Los Angeles architect, John Southern and his firm Urban Operations, the Slice and Fold House is a contemporary hillside home in the cosmopolitan neighborhood of Highland Park. Nestling into its steep hillside site, the house steps gracefully up the sloping topography, and provides outdoor space for every room without additional sitework. The first floor is conceived as an open plan, and features strategically located light-wells that flood the home with sunlight from…
- [Courtney Avenue](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/courtney-avenue-pj-vj~1001045)
  - Location: Los Angeles, CA
  - Photos: 11
- [3830 Sunset Drive](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/3830-sunset-drive-pj-vj~6139608)
  - Location: Los Angeles, CA
  - Photos: 7
- [3907 De Longpre](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/3907-de-longpre-pj-vj~6139552)
  - Location: Los Angeles, CA
  - Photos: 10
- [Bridge House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/bridge-house-pj-vj~1764126)
  - Location: Los Angeles, CA
  - Photos: 12
  - Description: Located on a hillside site in Los Angeles, CA. This 2400 SF home is designed to dig into the hillside while simultaneously bridging over the upper slope so that multiple terraced outdoor spaces can be created. The interior features an open plan, but also includes pockets of recaptured space for storage and work.
- [Avenue 57](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/avenue-57-pj-vj~2594451)
  - Location: Los Angeles, CA
  - Photos: 8
- [1501 Highgate](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/1501-highgate-pj-vj~1481607)
  - Location: Los Angeles, CA
  - Photos: 7

[See all 13 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/urban-operations-pfvwus-pf~184924258)

## Ideabooks

- [landscape](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/22028127/list/landscape) — 1 idea
- [KITCHEN CABINETS](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/7866118/list/kitchen-cabinets) — 13 ideas
- [bath concepts](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/7451386/list/bath-concepts) — 7 ideas
- [wardrobes](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/7954905/list/wardrobes) — 4 ideas
- [Hardie Panel Details](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/7416006/list/hardie-panel-details) — 17 ideas

[See all 5 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/john-southern)

## Community Q&A

**Q: What brand is the desk?** *(in Photo Questions)*

Love to know the manufacturer of the desk.....perfect! Thanks!

A: Sorry- that was our stager. No idea. They may have made it.

**Q: W** *(in Photo Questions)*

What is covering the walls?

A: It's Metro Gris Ceramic tile from a supplier that is out of business now. Home Depot has a similar product which we've used in white and grey.

**Q: What is the finish of the edge pulls?** *(in Photo Questions)*

What is the length and who made them.  I'd like to replicated your minimalist design.

A: The are Sugatsune brushed stainless pulls. I believe on that project we used 3-1/2 long.

**Q: was is the make of the shower pan?** *(in Photo Questions)*

A: Lascoat.  It's acrylic.

**Q: Bathtub faucet** *(in Photo Questions)*

Is stunning.  Can you tell me the manufacturer?

A: It was Moen- 2008 line.

**Q: What kind of tub is that?** *(in Photo Questions)*

Cost?

A: Kohler "Tea for Two"

---

*Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-11-05.*