Top 10 Green Buildings, 2011

American Institute of Architects' Top 10 Green Buildings
Pugh Scarpa

Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles
Brooks + Scarpa
This apartment/office complex is built on the site of the old Cherokee recording studios in Los Angeles, which once hosted the likes of David Bowie and Warren Zevon but is now home to one of the greenest buildings in the U.S. The design uses passive cooling that takes advantage of the Southern California climate, and it has day lighting that minimizes the need for electric lights — most of which are high-efficiency LEDs.

Get the Latest Photos from Time.com
Get TIME photos and pictures of the week delivered directly to your inbox.