Images by [oo-d-a] Studio Inc.

For the month of July, we are thrilled to feature another exceptional client as our Client of the Month: [oo-d-a] studio inc. and Owner Dominique Houriet. The firm is a collaborative studio of designers, architects, developers, and general contractors with a shared purpose to design, develop, and build beautiful “land sculptures” – functional works of art that improve the everyday lives of the people who live, work, and play within them.

Curious about the firm’s unusual name? Pronounced ooh-dee-ay, the firm’s name comes from a phonetic spelling of Houriet, Dominique’s last name.

[oo-d-a] has a strong focus on responsive, contemporary design focusing on both commercial and multifamily/residential projects located in the U.S. and Mexico. They are licensed for architecture as well as general contracting.

After graduating from Texas Tech University with a Master of Architecture degree, Dominique wasted no time moving to San Diego. However, it was short-lived since he quickly landed a job with the revered Sebastian Mariscal Studio. During his four years there, Dominique gained a wealth of experience taking projects through design and development and managing construction crews. His projects at the Studio were focused mainly on residential work, such as a single-family lot split in San Diego’s Little Italy and a condo project in La Jolla.

In 2008, Dominique took a four-month sabbatical to South America and returned to a different world – a world amid The Great Recession. “The world came crumbling down. I came back from South America facing despair at the state of the economy. For the first time, I had to ask myself, 'How am I going to eat?’” shared Dominique. Not one to be discouraged by the setback, he persisted in looking for architectural work while also welding and building elegant, artistically-crafted furniture, which is still featured on the firm’s website. It wasn’t long before the volume of Dominique’s architectural work ramped up, and so [oo-d-a] was born.

Now, 13 years later, the firm carries a portfolio of successful projects including many residential, single and multifamily projects as well as shopping centers; office spaces; a winery collaboration with Sebastian Mariscal Studio; several restaurant projects such as The Patio on Lamont and Kettner Exchange in collaboration with Tecture Design and Fabrication; and a Tijuana office space collaboration with Lindsay Brown of The Brown Studio, Inc. Dominique is now also joined by Christian Dimeling of VonDimeling Studio, who partners with [oo-d-a] for many projects.

[oo-d-a] and McCullough have collaboratively completed several urban infill projects and currently have multiple projects in progress. The following are just a few of our favorites:

1929 COLUMBIA STREET

One of our first projects together was a seven-story multifamily infill development in San Diego’s Little Italy called 1929 Columbia Street. A unique, vertical infill project central to the Little Italy neighborhood, the development was designed with textural and diverse elements that have become part of the character of this prominent, downtown area.

C STREET

C Street is a project recently kicked off and is currently in progress with [oo-d-a]. This 27-unit multifamily development in San Diego’s North Park area is a partnership with Uruguayan firm Estudio UCS, Ian Mahon of Level 3 Construction, and builder Danny Fitzgerald of Endeavor. We are excited to join this avant-garde team that is pressing the boundaries of affordable design, utilizing creative approaches and materials to create a development that is – all at once – beautiful, functional, completed within budget, and beneficial to the community.

THE COMMONS

Images by [oo-d-a] Studio Inc.

[oo-d-a] and McCullough partnered with Boardwalk Development for this small, retail shopping center on San Diego’s Mission Gorge Road called The Commons. Although the project footprint is small, Dominique’s design has given The Commons a personality of its own – more than just a retail space, it is a place that creates a pleasurable experience for its end-users. Street frontage that provides valuable visibility for retail tenants, shaded outdoor seating that encourages social interaction, and a stylish green roof on the street-facing corner – these are just a few features that exemplify how [oo-d-a]’s passion intersects with their pragmatic design sense to create a positive impact for local residents.

Images by [oo-d-a] Studio Inc.

LE PARC

We are excited to be working with [oo-d-a] on another multifamily infill project in North Park known as Le Parc, which is French for “The Park.” [oo-d-a] and Christian Dimeling are developing this 32-unit development together, and having recently finished drawings, the project is commencing the permitting process. This project is particularly interesting due to the vertical nature of the design. North Park recently passed an ordinance known as the Complete Communities Code that lifted former height restrictions for buildings in its neighborhood. This allows developers and designers to accomplish more with vertical space, and as early adopters, our design team intends to take advantage of the ordinance with this project. Principal David McCullough commented,

“Dominique has his own vernacular, his own style. He’s not doing what everyone else is doing, in the best way. He is truly passionate about his design work and is pushing the envelope vertically with Le Parc.”

Given the project’s location adjacent to North Park Community Park, Dominique and his associate, Christian Dimeling, originally had the idea to call the project The Parklane, which was the name of the high rise building that Christian’s father managed while Christian was growing up in Pittsburgh, PA. Christian tells us, “When I met Dominique, he was wearing a very stylish beret and told me he was of French and Peruvian descent. It seemed natural we give the name some flavor!”

Not only that – we have it on good authority that they listened to Polo & Pan’s Le Parc on repeat for three months straight while they designed Le Parc! You can listen to a short snippet on the website for the development.

Christian continued, “We hope it's not just a name but the spirit of the place.”

Evident through their work, [oo-d-a] aims to integrate the vision of each project into its context, which is the same, aligned approach that we value at McCullough. We believe that creating a space that is connected to its location – the culture, geography, and community – is a recipe for a structure that will stand the test of time.

Our mutual value for this depth of purpose is what Dominique considers crucial to our many successful projects together. Of working together, he stated, “I have a great appreciation for the way that McCullough works to weave the vision and story behind the project into its design and development. We, at [oo-d-a] strongly believe that a proper design solution goes hand-in-hand with a higher-quality everyday life.”

“When you work with Dominique, it doesn’t matter whether the project is big or small, he puts his soul into it. It’s not about ego, it’s about excellent design and the value it brings to people’s lives.” – David McCullough

To learn more about [oo-d-a] studio inc., please visit www.oo-d-a.com.

Nikki Holloway
Marketing + Creative Manager

Help Us Welcome Our New Hire: Adam crowell

Adam fell in love with San Diego when he took part in the ASLA conference the city hosted in 2019. He made it his goal, upon graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo's Landscape Architecture program, to start his career in sunny San Diego and could not imagine doing what he is passionate about anywhere else. Adam was drawn to landscape architecture and the world of design through his love for our planet. As he begins his career as McCullough's newest Junior Associate, he feels the need to help create public spaces that leave an impact on people – whether that be through preserving historical sites, working diligently on combining an ecological approach, or pulling in aspects unique to the surrounding community. He is excited to be part of changing San Diego's landscape for the better.

Outside the walls of McCullough, Adam loves to spend time with his boyfriend, hiking, going to the beach, and exploring new food spots. As a new resident to San Diego, Adam says, “All recommendations are welcome!”

Some little-known facts about Adam are that he has played the piano since the first grade, has seen pretty much anything and everything on TV, and could talk about aliens any day of the week.

New Website Address!

The McCullough website is now searchable at McCulloughLA.com!

We are proud to announce our new website address, which better reflects our firm’s name: McCullough Landscape Architecture, or simply “McCullough LA.”

What this means for you, our clients, colleagues, and friends –