EC3 DESIGN (EC3 Est. 2013) is an architecture and design office that specializes in cultural and civic projects for visionary clients. Based in Los Angeles but working internationally, EC3 has developed a diverse portfolio of impactful and award-winning buildings, from new constructions and expansions to interiors and sculptural installations. Working across disciplines, EC3 integrates research, architecture, landscape, and urbanism to create flexible, innovative visions that empower architecture’s role in advancing arts and culture and fostering a deeper connection between the built and natural environments.

EC3’s unique practice leverages founder Edwin Chan’s extensive experience leading large complex projects with the freshness, agility and creative energy of a collaborative, client-focus design studio. The firm’s hands-on approach utilizes physical models and state-of-the-arts digital tools to explore and execute custom design solutions for a wide range of programs, contexts, and budgets. Through interactive workshops at various phases, EC3’s design process systematically build consensus by incorporating multiple perspectives from expert consultants, stakeholders, and local communities to realize inspiring spaces that embody the ethos of place and elevate the human experience.

EC3’s notable work include the master planning and concept design for a 600 ft (183 m) hybrid mass-timber tower for the Australian tech company Atlassian in Sydney (set for completion in 2026); the ground-breaking residential developments True North and The Canopy Phase I + II in Detroit’s Core City neighborhood (on going); and Orchard Park, a 130,000 sq-ft, high-performance multi-phase mixed-use development in Meridian, Idaho (permit phase). EC3 is selected as one of seven US firms for the Grand Paris Vision - a network of sustainable mixed-use developments aimed at unifying Paris with its suburbs to create a more connected and future-proof metropolis.

EC3’s expertise for re-imagining more inclusive and engaging cultural spaces include the immersive art space CHALET in Hollywood and at the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas; the exhibition designs of DESTEFASHIONCOLLECTION 1–8 at The Bass Museum in Miami, and STILL LIFE for artist Piero Golia at Gagosian Gallery’s Britannia Street branch in London. Recent projects include the concept design for the expansion of an encyclopedic museum in Geneva, a monumental cast-aluminum sculpture at an international art collector’s Beverly Hills estate, and the pre-design of an interactive experience for an international athletic brand in Miami.

EC3 has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Holcim Foundation Award for Sustainable Construction, the Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize, a Progressive Architecture (PA) Award, NOMA’s Building of the Year, and World-Architects’ Building of the Week. Its projects have been featured in Los Angeles Times, New York Times, ARCHITECT, Architectural Digest, Architectural Record, Arquine, AZURE, Cultured, Dezeen, The Plan, Wallpaper*, and the Sydney Morning Herald, among others.

In addition to its architectural practice, EC3 actively supports emerging artists through exhibitions in its Venice Beach Art Space. The firm also engages in arts education with the non-profit Mountain School of Art and provides career counseling for inner-city youth in Los Angeles through its partnership with artist Mark Bradford’s ART+PRACTICE Foundation. EC3 is 100% minority owned, a registered small business enterprise, and a member of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA).