Karin Liljegren founder of Omgivning, FAIA, IIDA, facilitates the resurgence of the Los Angeles urban core through the creative conversion of historic structures. In 2009, Liljegren founded the architecture and interiors firm, Omgivning. To date, she and her 40-person staff have touched 400+ buildings and spaces, drawing on a rich existing landscape to create programmatically and technically complex hotels, multi-family housing, restaurants, bars, and offices. She is a thought leader in the downtown community and is active with city and county officials in crafting policies that ease the challenges of working on existing buildings.