SCLARC Golden Mutual Building

As the Prime Architect, AE3 designed the renovation of the historic Golden State Mutual Building. Originally built in 1949 and designed by the first African American certified architect in California, Paul Revere Williams, it was the home of Golden State Mutual Insurance for over 60 years before closing in 2009. In 2011, the Los Angeles City Council named the building an official historic monument. The building includes a 400-seat auditorium, cafeteria for 150, medical department with examination and recuperation rooms, and an employee lounge. Working with original drawings and photos, the exterior, main lobby, auditorium, and executive office suites were restored to their original 1949 appearance. The interior was converted to a more modern aesthetic with an open floor plan that takes advantage of the building’s copious natural light. Renovation of the building presented many challenges including maintaining the building’s historic legacy and preserving multiple murals depicting African American history in California. The scope included a complete replacement of the building’s electrical and mechanical systems, renovation of interior spaces, and sustainability upgrades, as well as a plaza and monument which is dedicated to Paul Revere Williams and his accomplishments to the building itself, and the industry of architecture.