Heavy construction has officially commenced for Icon at Sunset Bronson Studios (SBS), the latest shiny object to grace Hollywood's formerly low-slung skyline.

The 14-story building, described as a vertical creative campus, is the centerpiece of a $150 million expansion of the 92-year-old SBS campus.  In addition to the 323,000-square-foot office tower, plans from property owner Hudson Pacific Properties (HPP) also include a 1,600-car parking garage and a five-story, 90,000-square-foot production building known as the Hub.

With a highly visible location just west of the Hollywood Freeway, Icon is positioned to serve as a symbolic gateway for Sunset Boulevard.  Appropriately, designs from architecture firm Gensler call for a unique 200-foot tall structure featuring a "non-traditional facade."  Icon's offset rectangular masses will allow for the creation of outdoor terraces on multiple levels of the tower, offering panoramic views of the entire Los Angeles basin.  Floor-to-ceiling windows and wide column spans will provide visual interest and flood the building's interior with natural light.

The project is targeting LEED Gold certification, and will thus include numerous environmentally friendly amenities such as electric car charging stations and a secure bicycle center.

All components of the SBS expansion are scheduled for completion in late 2016.  HPP has also filed plans with the City of Los Angeles to construct a similar office tower nearby at 5901 Sunset Boulevard.

For more information on the project, check out this flyover video of the Icon and other components of the SBS expansion.