The Hotch apartment we deserved, in a reality where the CM team recognized he’s a human being with taste and actually put effort into his living space
Now, to make this more accurate, just mentally replace every picture with either a painting of a boat (the man loves his boats, boats are his autistic obsession... no shame, Aaron, they’re very cool) or his family photos.
Unfortunately, the kitchen and bathrooms here either looked like they came straight out of a cheap Home Depot catalog or were stolen from Rossi’s mansion, I did my best. That said, I know for a fact the man has a sink with a ton of storage underneath, packed with all his hair products lmaooo
Anyway, the defining features here are dark wood, high contrast in the living spaces (please ignore the offensively cheap ceiling lamps in the sixth pic), and most likely a more muted, moody atmosphere in the private areas. Traditional decor mixed with modern accent touches (my personal rule is that if he chooses to go modern, it has to be designer).
(I know he has the comfiest couch in the world because he’s a serial couch napper.)
And lastly… Hotch absolutely seems like the type of man with a creaky bedframe. The kind of creaky where, if you… train for the triathlon there, the bed frame drowns out everything else... way more than the sound of skin-on-skin or any... uhm... vocal performances. But hey, that’s just my theory.
I woke up feeling masochistic and decided to redraw Hotch’s apartment building exterior from scratch... the one that’s on screen for approximately 0.05 seconds in 5x01 (thank you, Emily Prentiss)
After a bit of digging, I tracked the location down to 715 S Normandie Ave, Los Angeles. I straightened the reference photo using RDF, scaled it properly using measurements from Google Earth and the parapet as a reference, and then… drew every single brick, one by one!!!
(Of course I couldn’t resist adding our favorite Unit Chief, looking absolutely constipated smiling as he comes down the entrance steps of his palace)
This is the original picture I used as a reference, but as you can see, it’s taken in perspective, so you can’t pull accurate measurements from it. You have to straighten it first (you can see the straightened version above) before it’s actually usable for drawing
Breaking down Hotch's apartment layout until someone from Criminal Minds slides into my DMs with the damn floorplans
- CASE BRIEFING: HOW HOTCH'S APARTMENT GASLIT US ALL
As an architecture student, I have a very strong (borderline obsessive) interest in analyzing spaces and locations... especially when they don’t quite add up. And one that has always messed with my brain (sometimes in a good way, but mostly in a frustrating way) is Hotch’s apartment from seasons 4–11.
The transformation from the bare, depressing space in s5 to the warm, cozy atmosphere with antique furniture and clever spatial tricks later on… it’s fascinating.
But also confusing as hell.
Because one question has always haunted me:
Is the apartment we see in Season 4/5 (where Hotch was stabbed and possibly SA’d) the same one he’s living in by Season 10?
(And since I’m a visual learner, here are the pics, because this mystery needs solving... I'll try my best)
(05x01 ; 10x05 don't zoom in, you freaks)
Seems easy to solve, right? The civil number is the same! Great.
121
...But hold on - what’s this?
(07x23)
...Damn, Aaron, your mailman must be going through it - 121? 123? Pick a struggle.
So… is it the same apartment or not? Because at this point, I’m losing my mind.
- VICTIMOLOGY (TYPOLOGY)
As you all know, the starting point is always victimology—but in architecture, my go-to is typology.
So, what kind of apartment building does Hotch live in?
Because once we figure that out, we can finally make sense of all the architectural crimes committed in his apartment.
We get a glimpse of his building in 5x02, and - without dragging you through a full historical deep dive (unless you want me to, in which case, buckle up) - here’s what we do know: it looks like this...
The building looks pre-WWII, likely built in the late 1920s–1930s, or designed more recently to mimic that era.
My guess is primarily based on the architectural detailing of the ground floor - the stonework, arches, and classical elements that give it a grander, more “expensive” look - and the distinct visual separation from the upper levels.
Spencer Reid moment - you can skip it if you'd like -> This actually follows a common design principle (partly influenced by Louis Sullivan’s theories) where different sections of a building reflect their function. The ground floor, being more public-facing, is more decorative and inviting, while the upper floors (where the apartments are) are plainer, emphasizing privacy.
However, the upper levels look stripped down, almost too plain, like they went through a more recent renovation that removed some of the og character. While it was normal in the 1920s/30s to emphasize the lower level, the upper floors would still have had some kind of textured finish brick, terracotta, or even decorative stone accents. Instead, here, it looks like someone just painted over everything... a bit sad, honestly… much like the man living in one of these apartments. Sorry Hotch but it is the truth.
That said, based on the photos, I hypothesized a possible volumetry diagram and main floor plan of the apartment building, including its functions and layout.
Knowing that Hotch lives in 121 (or 123… whatever it is today), he could very well be on the first floor. Old man isn’t about to risk climbing seven flights of stairs, understandable.
(Or, if we lean into the conspiracy theory that he has childhood trauma related to fire, it’s very telling that he chose a first-floor unit, making for an easier escape in case of danger…)
Our lovely Emily Prentiss gave us a sneak peek at the ground floor interior in 5x01, which - combined with a study of the window placement on the facade - helped me piece together a small section of the central layout.
From what we see, I feel even more confident about the building’s era - especially because of the beautiful wooden decorated elevators (yes, those are elevators, not doors... check the buttons on the side)
And now, for another Spencer Reid moment, part two -> In the early 1900s, when elevators were first being introduced in residential buildings, they didn’t look like the modern ones we see today.
Why?
Because men fear change.
Just like with any new technology, people were hesitant, so architects and designers made elevators blend in by disguising them as something more familiar - often looking like grand wooden doors or classic entryways rather than the industrial metal boxes we think of today.
This same pattern happened with building structures - steel (and concrete too!) was widely adopted in the early 1900s because of its strength, allowing for taller buildings, but architects still hid the steel frame behind stone or brick facades to maintain the look of traditional palaces. Even early cars looked like carriages because people weren’t ready to embrace a completely new form.
So, Hotch’s apartment building? It’s yet another classic case of early 20th-century architectural reluctance to embrace modernity - which, honestly, fits him a little too well. The man bottles up his emotions behind the calmest face just like his home hides its innovations behind classic detailing.
I see you, Aaron. You’re not fooling me.
Now, you may be asking - "Phi, weren’t you supposed to expose all the inconsistencies in Hotch’s apartment and finally solve whether it’s the same place or if they changed it?"
To that, I say… we’re getting there.
Because before we dive into the madness, there’s something that really messes with my brain - the window placement in Hotch’s apartment.
But to even begin analyzing that, we first need to understand how a typical floor plan in a building like this would be structured. And once again, our queen Emily Prentiss in 5x01 unknowingly led us straight to the answer.
The bastard even has a vaulted ceiling - right where I believe the main distribution area (aka elevators and stairs) is located. You can spot it in the pictures near the exit signs.
Also, just a heads-up... in the diagrams, the apartments look smaller than they actually are because I was too lazy to make multiple detailed drawings. (But hey, if someone paid me - hi, CM - I absolutely would) So, for now, I’m using that as a quick reference.
Now… the interior! Or should I say… the everchanging interior.
In this issue, I’ll be analyzing the Season 5 version - I even sketched out a small section of the floor plan (which could be completely wrong, because things change every episode).
From these pics, we can see that his windows are on the opposite side of the entrance - which, so far, checks out.
But wait... look down here! Check out the window placement in the kitchen. Thanks to that little detail, we can hypothesize that Hotch’s apartment is located in what I’ve labeled as "Unit B" - aka the unit with double exposure (great for ventilation, Aaron, solid choice).
From this pic down here from the s4 finale, we also get a fun little bonus detail - there’s what looks like a tiny dryer (or washing machine?) just sitting out in plain sight. And right behind Hotch, there’s a door that, based on the dimensions, I suspect leads to a bathroom.
Enough details to sketch out a partial floor plan… and there you have it!
A (partial) floor plan of Hotch’s apartment in its saddest era: bare, empty, and drowning in case files from seasons 4–5
And seeing more of his apartment in later seasons should be a blessing, right? It should help us map out the whole thing, right?...
Right?
...Wait.
Is that... a full-ass door on the right that totally wasn’t there before?!
Aaron, you hypocrite - you shut down Spencer Reid’s physics magic, yet here you are summoning entire new rooms into existence in your apartment.
(05x02 ; 10x05)
Alright, fine... where does that door lead?
(10x20)
Hot damn.
Referring to the home office, of course… and here’s some solid proof of its placement. Now, I’m gonna… step away for a minute… process... this... architectural betrayal… but YOU - you make sure to study these pics. I’ll be quizzing you later, got it?
Alright… and now… now that you’ve hopefully been studying (and totally not getting distracted by Hotch’s shirt hanging on for dear life - OMG LOOK AT THE [REDACTED])… focus.
You nasty.
Window placement.
Where’s the home office window? Exactly... on the same side as the others in the living and dining area (you can tell by the way the light enters the room in the pic on the right)
And since you’re all very interested in the architecture (and definitely not drooling over a certain Unit Chief), let me ask you this:
WHY THE HELL IS THERE A WHOLE FIREPLACE IN HIS HOME OFFICE?!
Don’t worry - I’ll answer for you. Since y’all are nasty.
Can I just say that it UPSETS ME to the point where I’m considering a 30-day diet of just drywall that THAT MAN - THAT FEDERAL AGENT - HAS A FIREPLACE. IN HIS HOME OFFICE.
(HELLO?!?!?!?!?? Whore.)
Unhinged. Because:
1. A fireplace is quite literally a symbol of family and warmth (fun fact: Frank Lloyd Wright always designed homes starting with the fireplace! Oh, wait. You might not know who that is, so now this just sounds confusing. My bad. Anyway, he designed a lot of cool stuff... moving on). A fireplace belongs in a living room or dining area, where people actually gather. And considering Hotch’s building is old, there is no way it was originally designed to have one in a private office. That placement is categorically wrong. You’re a terrible designer if you stick a fireplace in an isolated office but not in the main living space where it actually makes sense.
2. The writers could try to lie to my face and say, “Oh, maybe the room was repurposed into Hotch’s home office.”Wrong. His apartment has a big open-concept living/dining area with the kitchen on the side. And unless his place is secretly Rossi’s mansion (spoiler: it’s not), there’s no way the original layout had a separate formal dining room. And even if it did, the fireplace is still in the wrong damn place because formal dining rooms are typically closer to the entry.
3. They could lie even harder and try to argue that Hotch having a fireplace in his office is some deep, symbolic artistic choice - like, oh, he’s so devoted to his job, he’d rather warm his ass doing paperwork than sit by the fire reading Jack a bedtime story like a decent human being. Like. Come on. He’s a family man, for god’s sake. Either give him a properly placed fireplace or JUST DON’T GIVE HIM ONE AT ALL.
(Less is more, people!!! Unless, of course, we’re talking about Hotch’s [REDACTED]... oof. Damn censorship. Right when I was about to say something deeply unholy. )
Goodbye. See you in the next issue.
Hopefully by the end of this series we'll manage to sketch down the entire floorplan
Breaking down Hotch's apartment layout until... until...
I skipped uni today and decided to rewatch 10x20 to study the layout of Hotch’s season 10 apartment... and, uh... there have been some complications...
Hi! So following up from your (incredible) breakdown of Hotch's apartment, I've always wondered why stayed in the apartment to raise Jack after Foyet/100 and I'd love to hear your thoughts about it!
Obviously, his and Haley's marital house was out after everything but the same apartment he got stabbed in is wild to me and to then to Jack who was held hostage by the guy who stabbed Hotch by the dining table? I get if it was for security with less points of direct entry but Foyet got in??? Is there a garden or green space for Jack to play in? Does Hotch do a background check on all new tenants?
Anyway, this is not anti-apartment slander because I happily live in one myself but I'm so interested in why Hotch would since he clearly has the means (Rolex watches are not cheap lmao) and this feels like the right platform to discuss it haha what do you think?
Breaking down Hotch's apartment layout until someone from Criminal Minds slides into my DMs with the damn floorplans: (The Empire Strikes Back)
I’ve thought about this a lot (maybe too much) and I honestly believe Hotch stayed in that apartment building for a mix of reasons. It’s not just one thing. Maybe one factor weighed heavier than the others, but ultimately, I picture him doing one of those classic pros and cons lists, like the fussy man he is, and letting the whole picture guide the decision... does it make sense??
Now, if we look at the architectural typology of his building, we know it follows a comb-plan layout - meaning it features two semi-enclosed, semi-public green spaces that are open toward the street. (I even made a little sketch to visualize it because I’m a visual learner... Like, I don’t know what “Hotch’s hands” means until I see them. Someone please send references...pls???)
That said, the green spaces aren’t the reason he stayed. Sure, the building has them, but they’re likely shared among all tenants, mostly decorative, and maybe even off-limits in terms of actual use (some buildings do that.. yikes). Plus, they’re super open to the street, which means they’re not really safe or private enough for Jack to play in.
So I don’t think the green spaces themselves were the selling point.
I think he stayed because of the overall architectural quality of the building. It's a historic structure (from mid 1920s-1930s??) that’s been carefully restored, updated with 21st-century systems and amenities, and built with high-quality materials and finishes. Maybe there’s a park nearby where Jack can actually play safely. Maybe it’s closer to his school. It also doesn’t strike me as a suburban area, which could be another plus - city life offers access to public transportation, shops, cultural spaces, sports activities… all of which might've played into the decision.
I am so so so so here for this headcanon and I fuck so much with the background check idea because yes, he absolutely asked Garcia for help and no, he doesn’t think that was an overstep. It was a precaution. For Jack.
Also, I’m convinced he’s very active in the tenant community.
He’s the one who created the condo group chat - no one asked him to, but it’s impeccably organized, with pinned messages and!!! a color-coded spreadsheet of recycling days (I'm European, this is wired into my DNA, sorry) he made himself at 3 a.m. on Excel. He barely answers texts from his team, but the second someone reports “unusual noises near the trash chute,” he’s replying in 0.3 seconds with “What time? Which floor?”
Sure, he’s fussy about noise (especially when he’s actually home) but he’s also the one everyone turns to when the building manager starts power-tripping or the garbage hasn't been collected. You’ve got a broken washing machine? Hotch already emailed the landlord and the building’s legal obligation clause. Trash not yeeted? He’ll yeet it himself. The man has a complex Google Drive dedicated to tenant rights #prosecutor!Hotch
I will die on the hill he is a chatty grandma. Sure, he’s serious, but he knows everyone’s business, and somehow people trust him with their extra keys and gossip. He's fbi, he's cunty, he has great hair... hello???
(Like, you knock on his door and say, “Sorry to bother-” and he’s already saying, “Your cat escaped again? He's in apartment 127, do you need anything else?”)
Another reason I think he stayed in that apartment is because, most likely between s3 and 4, he started spending some time there with Jack. I’m not sure how the co-parenting with Haley worked logistically, but I can easily imagine him having Jack over on weekends when he wasn’t working, or at least trying to carve out that time. And that apartment became part of Jack’s routine, part of what "home" felt like to him, Hotch probably couldn’t bring himself to move.
I don’t think Hotch stayed there for himself. Psychologically of course, it’s not the healthiest choice (he was literally stabbed there by Foyet) but it is the best choice for his son. And unless you’re talking about his job, Jack always comes first.
And Hotch… Hotch always comes last.
I think he bottled everything up. I don’t even think he fully let himself consider that the apartment might be an unhealthy place to stay in. If the thought of moving did ever cross his mind, I’m almost certain it wasn’t about him. It wasn’t “I don’t feel safe here,” it was: What if someone breaks in again? What if Jack’s here? What if it happens when I’m not home?
He stayed because Jack knew that place. Because changing homes again would be another loss. Another shift. Another instability. And Hotch would rather carry the weight of that trauma alone than risk making his son feel displaced.
Sooooo... yep. That's it. I guess.
Thank you so so so so much for the ask!!! I'm so so so curious to know what are YOUR! thoughts!!
The two super sexy baroque almost-twins churches, Santa Maria in Montesanto (the "church of artists," oval dome, therefore slightly larger) and Santa Maria dei Miracoli (octagonal dome, smaller, under reno), framing the grand entrance to Piazza del Popolo… + in the bottom left corner, 2 Italian men absolutely losing it laughing
I just stumbled across this axonometric drawing I made of a school I designed for a uni course… and now I desperately have the itch to make one for the BAU offices... like, imagine seeing the bullpen, Hotch’s office, Rossi’s, the conference room, all laid out AAAAAA
(but I can’t find the floorplans AAAAAA)
(I could always just eyeball them…)
Clearly, I’m a masochist because this took me 70 hours of work, and I have no time to waste… but how cute would it beeeeeeee?!
(CM hire me for set architecture, please, can I be the one who makes the little stupid floorplans they flash on screen?)
(Also, I desperately want to draw the floor plan of Aaron’s Bachelor Pad™ so bad…)
(and a little axonometric view AAAAAA with a tiny depressed Hotch roaming around)
(CM higher-ups, hear me out: I’ll produce these drawings, but only if you bring TG back… deal? How does that sound?)
Anyone know where I could find some set videos? Just so I don’t lose my mind trying to piece it together - just one good reference video would save me… Not that I’m actually planning to draw it or anything… but if I did… 👀
A slightly crooked view of the oval dome inside San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane by good ol' (very much dead) friend Francesco Borromini taken in a rush... anyways... enjoy this Baroque bonbon!
