Principals Peter Tolkin and Sarah Lorenzen—working under the moniker TOLO—guide the design of a variety of project types at various scales throughout Southern California. The firm’s portfolio of built projects includes single and multi-family housing, mixed-use and retail, restaurants and hotels, and arts-based projects such as gallery spaces and large-scale installations. TOLO is located in a large industrial warehouse the firm renovated at the nexus of the Arts District, Little Tokyo and Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles. This space, which includes a fabrication shop, allows TOLO to test design ideas by means of prototypes and scale models. At TOLO we believe that we have a responsibility to create lively and contextually appropriate environments. We also believe that our efficacy as design professionals is highly dependent on our ability to appropriately engage with local people and understand local concerns. Our projects are designed to offer experiences that are visually stimulating, entertaining, socially engaging, and relevant to the people that use them. This approach has driven us to design programmatically rich common spaces and amenities that enliven the project and elevate the public experience.