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    ATRA outfits Olson Kundig-designed house in West Hollywood

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    This townhouse in Los Angeles by US firm Olson Kundig is outfitted by furniture brand ATRA with “the best that Mexico has to offer”.

    The Garden House, which sits between West Hollywood and Beverley Hills, was designed as one of eight single-family homes that form the Rosewood Houses development.
    The interior of the Garden House is divided into two areas by a central void, which contains the staircaseEach of the two-storey residences was designed by Olson Kundig with a unique look and layout while retaining a cohesive language across the set.
    For this particular house, which is decorated for a fictional future client, Mexico City-based design studio and furniture brand ATRA used many of its own products to create an environment that complements the architecture.
    To decorate the house, ATRA used several of its own products including the dining table, along with pieces by Mexico-based artists and designers”We wanted to sublime the minimalist architecture and the simplicity of the volumes by keeping the home versatile – imagining that the owner could be a young family as well as a Hollywood actor or a tech entrepreneur and that the design should not only fit but inspire all the above,” said the ATRA team.

    From the street, the house presents as austere – comprising dark cladding materials and emphasised horizontally by an extended flat roofline and porch cover.
    The volcanic stone desk in the study is also designed by ATRAThe building is entered into a double-height space from the side, effectively splitting the plan into north and south areas.
    A staircase with open risers and glass balustrades rises up through the central void, its transparency allowing views from one side of the house to the other.
    Earth tones are used throughout the ground floor, including in the kitchenThe living room to the north is anchored by a large bronze feature that frames a fireplace, while ATRA’s Egge velvet sofa and pair of armchairs face one another across a low stone coffee table.
    On the other side of the staircase is the dining room, where the brand’s sculptural Pebble dining table sits below a branch-like chandelier by Isabel Moncada, and beside a highly textured artwork by Julio Rizhi.
    Upstairs, bolder colours are used to appear like “happy accidents””We curated the best that Mexico has to offer to enhance this house with unexpected artworks and thoughtful designs,” said Gabriella Kuti, ATRA’s lead designer.
    Earth-toned furniture and textured finishes are used prominently throughout the ground floor, including a volcanic stone desk in the study and warm wood cabinetry in the kitchen.

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    A slightly different colour palette was employed upstairs, where grey sheen walls and burgundy-hued chairs are found in the primary bedroom.
    “Some unusual warm and vibrant colors were introduced like a happy accident,” said ATRA.
    Works by international artists in the home include a wall piece by Ghanaian artist Serge Attukwei Clottey made from a patchwork of yellow gallon containers, and bold-striped paintings by French artist Edouard Ng.
    A private patio at the back of the house features a plunge poolTucked out of view at the back of the property, a small outdoor patio features a square plunge pool and sculptures by Pablo Arellano.
    The eventual owners of the house will also have access to the amenities of the adjacent residential tower 8899 Beverly, including a pool, a covered dining area and gardens, an indoor fitness centre and a yoga studio.
    The architecture by Olson Kundig comprises dark materials and exaggerated horizontal planesATRA also provided furniture and decor for a show apartment in New York’s One Wall Street designed by FrenchCalifornia, and launched its Nerthus-Sofa modular system in 2020.
    The company was founded by Alexander Díaz Andersson, who is also its creative director and works across furniture, sculpture, interiors and hospitality projects.
    The photography is by Michael Clifford and Nils Timm.

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      Odami creates textured minty interior for Aesop Palisades Village store

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      Mint green materials cover this store for skincare brand Aesop, which Toronto studio Odami designed for the Palisades area of Los Angeles.

      The Aesop store opened at the end of 2022 in the Palisades, a verdant corner of the city northwest of Santa Monica where several seminal modernist houses are located.
      In the center of the store are stainless steel sinks for testing the brand’s products”Aesop Palisades Village takes inspiration from its natural surroundings, as well as the area’s vernacular architecture, where local buildings are delicately perched within a cascading landscape of lush ridges and valleys,” said Odami.
      “Most notably, this includes celebrated local architect Ray Kappe’s own residence, a critical reference for the project.”
      Planters with tropical foliage are placed behind the sink and along the side wallThe same shade of pale green is used across the walls, ceiling, floors, display stand bases, and a sink for testing products in the centre of the store.

      The velvet curtain and upholstery fabric is matched to the microcement surfaces, resulting in a monotone texture throughout the small shop.
      Textured microcement surfaces and velvet curtains match to create a uniform effectBehind the full-height curtains, Aesop’s distinctive brown bottles are presented on shelves built using reclaimed walnut wood.
      The dark wood is also used for countertops, individual shelves, and a storage unit that sits below a large product display set into one wall.
      The mint-green curtains open to reveal more products displayed on reclaimed walnut shelves”Gently placed amongst this unfolding landscape, the various storage and display requirements are resolved as long horizontal planes, composed of either reclaimed wood or stainless steel, to create an interplay of levity and mass,” Odami said.
      The sinks, which are lined with stainless steel, face a planter brimming with tropical foliage – a feature repeated perpendicularly along the adjacent side wall.

      Victorian balusters pattern surfaces at Aesop Yorkville store by Odami

      A skylight above the flora brings in extra natural light into the space, while a low bench offers customers a place to sit and pause.
      “Together, the design for Aesop Pacific Palisades aims to create a biophilic environment, elevating the ritual of self-care through the presence and evocation of nature,” said Odami.
      A bench is provided for customers to sit and pauseThe Toronto studio was founded in 2017 by Spanish architect Aránzazu González Bernardo and Canadian designer Michael Fohring.
      The team has completed a wide range of projects, from residential and restaurant interiors to a furniture collection, as well as another Aesop store located in Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood.
      The store is located in Los Angeles’ Palisades neighbourhoodAesop is renowned for the interiors of its stores, which each have a distinctive design relating to their location.
      Recently completed include an outpost in London’s Marylebone that’s organised to reference a bookshop, and another in Cambridge, England that features handwoven bulrush shelves.
      The photography is by Rafael Gamo.
      Project credits:
      Client: AesopDesign: OdamiGeneral contractor: Precise Contractor IncFabrication: Dayone DesignsArchitect of record: WORD Design x ArchitectureEngineering: RKM Consulting Engineers Inc

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      Kelly Wearstler designs Los Angeles bar to feel “like it has been there for ages”

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      Interior designer Kelly Wearstler paired clay plaster walls with Moroccan cement tiles at this eclectic cocktail bar in the Downtown LA Proper hotel.

      Named after Mexico’s national flower, the Dahlia bar features a blushing interior that was designed to echo the rest of the hotel – also created by Wearstler.
      The designer looked to the same Spanish, Mexican and Moroccan influences that define the wider Downtown LA Proper, such as terracotta Roman clay plaster walls and ceilings when conceptualising the bar.
      Dahlia is a cocktail lounge within the Downtown LA Proper hotel”The warm, earthy tones of the lounge are in concert with the larger hotel while striking their own note entirely,” said Wearstler.
      “Dahlia feels like it has been there for ages,” added the designer, who has been named as a judge for the inaugural Dezeen Awards China.

      Moroccan cement tiles clad the barVisitors enter the bar through yellow-tinged stained glass doors that were custom-made for the venue by Los Angeles’ historic Judson Studios, which claims to be the oldest family-run stained glass company in America.
      Seating was created from a mix of built-in reddish banquettes and low-slung curved armchairs that hug circular timber tables, while a geometric chandelier draped in light-filtering silk was suspended overhead.

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      In one corner, an embossed and low-slung black cabinet supports two squat table lamps that look like oversized green olives.
      Wearstler adorned the clay plaster walls with a mishmash of vintage and contemporary textural artwork, which was finished in ceramic and sand. Various local artists were included in the mix.
      Kelly Wearstler imbued the venue with her signature eclectic styleDefined by “saturated hues and dramatic lighting,” the cocktail lounge also features a bar clad with lilac-hued Moroccan cement tiles and woven crimson rugs.
      “This is the kind of space where you can entirely lose track of time,” said the designer.
      Known for her distinctively eclectic style, Wearstler has created interiors for various other destinations that are part of the Proper Hotel Group. The designer scoured vintage shops to source the furniture that decorates the living room-style lobby of a Santa Monica branch while an Austin location features a sculptural oak staircase that doubles as a plinth for Wearstler’s own glazed earthenware pots and vases.
      The images are courtesy of Kelly Wearstler.

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      Fettle returns The Georgian hotel in Santa Monica to its 1930s “glory”

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      Design studio Fettle has restored an art deco hotel in Santa Monica, California, refreshing its distinctive turquoise facade and using the original style to inform the interiors.

      Facing Ocean Avenue and the water beyond, The Georgian hotel was originally built in 1933 to serve tourists visiting the beachside city west of Los Angeles.
      Restoring The Georgian hotel involved refreshing its turquoise facadeThe eight-storey building was recently acquired by BLVD Hospitality, which tasked London and Los Angeles-based Fettle with bringing it back to life while embracing its heritage.
      “The brief for The Georgian was very simple: to restore the building to her former and deserved glory,” said the studio’s co-founder and creative director Tom Parker.
      The dining terrace facing Ocean Avenue is surrounded by foliage”Not necessarily by going back in time, but more so by understanding how an art deco building right on the shoreline in Santa Monica would look and feel in a modern hospitality landscape,” he added.

      Under the navy-striped awnings on either side of the entrance, the shaded dining terrace is surrounded by foliage designed and procured by LA nursery Rolling Greens.
      The design of the Sunset Bar was intended to exaggerate the symmetry of the architectural detailsScalloped-back banquettes set the tone for a motif repeated throughout the interiors, including above the red key box in the lobby and for dramatic custom headboards in the guest rooms.
      In the lobby, the high ceilings are accented by deco-style chandeliers and original reliefs, and the floor is geometrically patterned to reference the designs of the 1930s.
      The dining room features mismatched custom lounge furnitureTo one side is the Sunset Bar, where a horseshoe-shaped counter of Italian emerald quartzite is strategically placed to highlight the symmetry of the arches overhead.
      The dining room is located on the other side of the lobby, and features mismatched custom lounge furniture among weekly installations by French floral artist Jean Pascal.
      Scalloped details are found throughout the hotel, including atop the red key box behind the reception deskTucked behind the reception area, past a spiral staircase and through a door, is Gallery 33 – an art gallery that also hosts private events.
      “This dramatic space has been designed to celebrate the best of culture, the arts and the most unique of gatherings as well as showcase the work of local, internationally renowned and up-and-coming artists through an evolving program throughout the year,” said The Georgian team.
      The Writer’s Room offers a private dining area for intimate gatheringsNext door is a red-walled library stocked with books curated by Lee Kaplan of Culver City’s Arcana: Books on the Arts, while the nearby Writer’s Room offers a private dining space for up to 20 guests.
      The Georgian has 56 classic rooms and 28 one-bedroom suites, all of which have art deco-influenced interiors.

      Kelly Wearstler designs relaxed and beachy Santa Monica Proper hotel

      Pale blue window valance boxes, globe-shaped crystal light fixtures and vintage-style record players are all included.
      Bedroom doors, cornices, window frames and bathroom tiles all match the bright hue of the building’s facade.
      All of The Georgian’s guest rooms have art deco-influenced interiorsOn the exterior above the entrance, Fettle also added a new brass framed neon sign based on the hotel’s 1930s original, tying together a celebratory restoration.
      “The end result presents a gleaming celebration of the building’s rich history with sensitive yet striking design elements,” Parker said.
      Window valances and globe-shaped chandeliers are among the guest rooms design featuresEnjoying the best of California’s beach culture and warm weather, Santa Monica is a popular destination for visitors travelling over from LA, as well as in its own right.
      Other accommodation options in the city include the Santa Monica Proper, designed by Kelly Wearstler with a relaxed feel and eclectic furniture, while a mixed-use development by Frank Gehry that’s currently underway will also include a hotel.
      A new brass framed neon sign based on the hotel’s 1930s original was also addedFettle’s portfolio of hospitality projects spans both sides of the Atlantic, with the 1 Warwick members’ club in London and the Schwan Locke Hotel in Munich among recently completed examples.
      The studio has also completed the public areas for several branches of the hotel chain The Hoxton, including the locations in Rome and Portland, Oregon.
      The photography is by Douglas Friedman.

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      SFMOMA furniture exhibition features “conversation starters”

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      Designers including Bethan Laura Wood and Maarten Baas have contributed a range of “sometimes jarring” chairs and lighting to an exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

      Called Conversation Pieces: Contemporary Furniture in Dialogue, the exposition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) features 45 pieces of furniture and decor “that prioritise meaning and material choice over function and practicality”.
      Jay Sae Jung Oh presented an otherworldly chair”The works on view are sometimes jarring, often bold and always conversation starters,” said the museum.
      Drawn entirely from the SFMOMA collection, some of the pieces were chosen purely for their alternative appearance, such as an otherworldly leather and plastic armchair by South Korean designer Jay Sae Jung Oh.
      Uneasy Lies the Head that Wears the Crown was designed by Germane BarnesOther pieces of furniture were selected for their commentary on social issues. For example, a piece by American architect Germane Barnes is a porch chair topped with an oversized backrest shaped like a milled wood comb.

      Called Uneasy Lies the Head that Wears the Crown, the piece was described by Barnes as a representation of Black hair, meant to highlight how Black hair “is often policed and frowned upon instead of celebrated as it should [be]”.
      Maarten Baas’ contribution features a bright blue clay chairDutch designer Baas and Italian architect Gaetano Pesce were also included in the exhibition.
      Baas created a bright blue chair covered with clay while Pesce contributed an organic-looking fabric and resin chair called Seaweed, which resembles clumps of tangled algae.
      A series of lighting designs accompanied the furniture. British designer Bethan Laura Wood created a spindly glass and metal chandelier called Criss Cross Kite.
      Gaetano Pesce contributed a fabric and resin chair called Seaweed”A chandelier is normally a very fancy-pantsy centre light,” said Wood, reflecting on her work.
      “I definitely want to play with this idea of fantasy within the thing.”
      Unique Girl is a playful lamp by Katie StoutAmerican designer Katie Stout’s ceramic lamp Unique Girl was also on display. The lighting piece is characterised by an abstract figure that the designer said is meant as a commentary on domesticity and femininity.
      All of the furniture in the exhibition was arranged across a deep red carpet interspersed with amorphously shaped plots of floor space to form a meandering pathway.

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      “Sparking dialogue throughout the gallery, Conversation Pieces presents chairs and lamps that surprise and garner attention unapologetically,” said SFMOMA.
      Last year, the San Francisco museum showcased an exhibition of work by architect Neri Oxman, while it recently became the first museum to acquire a module from the Japanese Nakagin Capsule Tower.
      The exhibition was curated within a winding spaceConversation Pieces: Contemporary Furniture in Dialogue was on display at the SFMOMA from 20 August 2022 to 25 June 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
      The images are courtesy of SFMOMA.

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      Barbie and Ken unveil bright-pink lifesize dollhouse in Malibu

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      Rental website Airbnb has unveiled Barbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse, an all-pink California mansion with an outdoor disco, infinity pool and Western-themed bedroom.

      Located on the oceanfront in western Malibu, California, the lifesize dollhouse is being rented out by Barbie’s partner Ken via an Airbnb listing written as if by the doll himself.
      “Kendom Saloon” welcomes beach house guestsThe house, which was previously listed by Airbnb for Barbie’s 60th anniversary in 2019, has had a recent update to give it more “Kenergy” and mark Barbie making her live-action debut in the Barbie film starring Margot Robbie.
      “We all have dreams, and Barbie is lucky enough to have a house full of them,” Ken said. “But now, it’s my turn, and I can’t wait to host guests inside these one-of-a-kind – dare I say, one-of-a-Ken? – digs.”
      A cowboy-themed bedroom nods to Ken’s styleThe large oceanfront house features a pink bedroom decorated with cowhide rugs, cowboy hats and horse-printed throws as well as a closet from which guests can borrow Ken’s fringed cowboy shirts and his guitar.

      Some of Barbie’s clothing, including the iconic high-heeled pink shoe with a fluffy feather decoration from the movie, also hang in the closet.
      Barbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse is located by the beach in CaliforniaAt the centre of the building, on one of the house’s many terraces, guests can make use of an outside disco dance floor in pink, purple and yellow with its own DJ deck.
      “I’ve added a few touches to bring some much-needed Kenergy to the newly renovated and iconic Malibu DreamHouse,” Ken said.

      Barbie lists Malibu Dreamhouse on Airbnb

      The Dreamhouse also has a bright-pink outdoor lounging area, an outdoor gym – complete with a barrel filled with “beefy body brine” –  a pink outdoor kitchen with a barbecue and an infinity pool.
      Other details that nod to Ken’s takeover include a Western-style swing door, decorated with an image of a horse and the words “Kendom Saloon”, and a crossed-out “Barbie” sign above the outdoor kitchen that now reads “Ken”.
      Guests can disco outdoorsGuests can enjoy nearby activities such as shopping, surfing and roller blading on the boardwalk, and will also get to take home their own set of yellow-and-pink Impala skates and surfboard.
      Barbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse will be available to book for up to two guests each on July 21 and July 22, 2023, with bookings opening on 17 July.
      An outdoor gym features weightlifts and “body brine””All stays will be free of charge – because Ken couldn’t figure out how to put a price on Barbie’s Malibu DreamHouse – after all, Ken’s thing is beach, not math!” Airbnb said.
      The company will make a one-time donation to the charity Save the Children in celebration of the Barbie movie.
      The film was recently in the news as it made “the world run out of pink”, while a recent book explored Barbie’s Dreamhouse through the ages.
      The imagery is by Hogwash Studios.

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      Studio Paul Chan references Wes Anderson at Boisson bottle shop in LA

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      The opening scene from a Wes Anderson film provided a starting point for the interior of this bottle shop in Los Angeles, by locally based Studio Paul Chan.

      The first LA location for Boisson combines elements of mid-century Hollywood design and art deco in a 1,160-square-foot (108-square-metre) space to showcase a selection of non-alcoholic beverages.
      Studio Paul Chan has designed the first Boisson store in Los Angeles”Inspired by great storytelling and glassware in Wes Anderson’s French Dispatch opening scene, where a server scales five flights of stairs to deliver a tray of aperitifs, absinthe, dry white wine, a coke, and an affogato to a meeting of editors, we endeavoured to create a space for the aesthete,” said studio founder Paul Chan.
      The studio installed walnut-stained wooden wall panelling with areas of “calming” dusty green lime wash spaced evenly in between.
      A lamp by Gae Aulenti sits atop a custom glass block counterThese materials are contrasted by thin stainless steel shelves upon which the products are displayed along both side walls.

      “The layered narrative mixes artisanal materials with machine-made elements, creating a conceptual parallel between non-alcoholic drinks and traditional wine,” Chan said.
      A central rack displays and stores bottles of non-alcoholic wineA long narrow wooden table runs through the centre of the space, creating another spot for presenting the bottles on top, and adding storage in the form of open racks below.
      Chan also took cues from Maison de Verre, a modernist house completed by Pierre Chareau and Bernard Bijvoet in 1932, for elements of his design.
      Stainless steel shelves are mounted onto dusty green lime-washed wallsAt the back, illuminated glass bricks are stacked within a steel structure to form a curved counter, upon which a curvaceous Pipistrello Table Lamp by Italian architect Gae Aulenti is placed.
      Sconces that echo the shapes of the glass blocks are positioned on the walls, together creating a warm glow within the space.

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      “There is delight in using the ordinary in extraordinary ways, and I like the element of surprise,” said Chan.
      “Light and shadow can become materials too and as if by magic, heavy things can become unexpectedly weightless.”
      The shapes of the glass blocks are echoed in the wall sconces. Photo by Avery J KleinThe popularity of non-alcoholic wines, beers and spirits has risen significantly over the past few years, and designers have been tapped to imagine both spaces and packaging to market these goods.
      For example, Barber Osgerby created the packaging for a non-alcoholic drink invented by wine writer Matthew Jukes in 2020, while University of Huddersfield graduate Holly Thomas imagined a venue for the consumption of these beverages.
      The glass block counter was influenced by the modernist Maison de Verre. Photo by Avery J KleinThe pastel colours and symmetry in films by visionary director Wes Anderson have influenced many interiors around the world, from a restaurant in Moscow to cafes in Melbourne and Stockholm.
      The director himself also designed a bar inside the Fondazione Prada in Milan, based on old landmarks and cafes in the city.
      The photography is by Ye Rin Mok unless stated otherwise.

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      And And And Studio brings 1970s elements to Century City Law Office

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      And And And Studio has overhauled the offices for one of LA’s top entertainment law firms, opting for a look that’s “more akin to a hotel lobby”.

      The firm, which represents several Hollywood actors, tasked And And And Studio founders Annie Ritz and Daniel Rabin with designing interiors for its offices in Century City, a commercial district south of Beverly Hills.
      Visitors to the law offices in Century City are greeted by a desk wrapped in glossy oxblood-coloured tilesThe design studio convinced the clients to stay in their current building rather than move – a decision that required a complete redesign of the 22,000-square-foot (2,044-square-metre) space and the gutting of the interiors to make room for a brand-new layout.
      The clients required over 30 private offices within the floor plan, so it had to compromise on the size of the rooms to leave enough area for lounges and other communal facilities.
      The wood-panelled reception area sets the tone for the rest of the interiors”The goal was for Ritz and Rabin to make the space feel airy, open and more akin to a hotel lobby than an office,” said the studio.

      “[The lawyers] traded slightly smaller private offices in order to provide the entire office with inviting and functional communal spaces.”
      And And And Studio drew references from a variety of design styles, most noticeably the 1970sVisitors arriving at the wood-panelled reception area are met by a counter wrapped in glossy oxblood Rombini tiles from Mutina, which also surround curved columns in meeting spaces.
      Bassam Fellows sling lounge chairs and an Angelo M Marble Table from Alinea Design Objects were also placed in reception, setting the tone for the rest of the interiors.
      In the kitchen, green marble forms countertops, backsplash and shelvesFurnishings found throughout pull references from a variety of design styles, including art deco and 1970s, as seen in the Brasilia chairs by Menu, sofas by Arflex, and a Phillipe Malouin sofa for SCP.
      Brown and yellow velvet upholstery in the lounge spaces also nods to the 1970s, while in the kitchen, green marble forms the countertop, backsplash and open shelving.

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      “The 1970s-inspired design transcends through warm wood tones, and bold-hued gold and green fabrics,” said And And And Studio.
      Designing and executed during the Covid-19 pandemic, the team was met with various hurdles during the project, which resulted in multiple last-minute changes.
      The red tiles from the reception area are repeated in conference rooms”[Our] approach to the re-design of this office embraces the goals and ethos of this law firm, giving a unique design to the space that is distinct,” And And And Studio said.
      “This goal was met with several challenges due to the pandemic, creating delays and changes, specing and re-specing products, all while balancing a tight timeline.”
      The interior is designed to look more like a hotel lobby than an officeRitz and Rabin’s studio has offices in both Los Angeles and Toronto.
      Other law office designs include one created by Studio Arthur Casas for a firm in São Paulo with a chocolate-coloured space that’s brightened by hundreds of books, while Vladimir Radutny Architects used minimal white partitions to divide a lawyers’ office in Chicago.
      The photography is by Chris Mottalini.

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      Formation Association transforms series of buildings for Phillips Los Angeles

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      Los Angeles architecture studio Formation Association has turned an assemblage of buildings in West Hollywood into a new home for London-based auction house Phillips.

      The West Coast headquarters for Phillips opened in October 2022 and includes three showrooms, a patio and offices created from a set of disparate structures on Santa Monica Boulevard.
      The new Phillips Los Angeles combines several different structures, including a historic doorway that was preservedFormation Association preserved many of the existing architectural elements of the eclectic collection of buildings, ensuring that each section retained its identity.
      “We started with idiosyncratic conditions and buildings layered with history,” said studio co-founder John K Chan, who led the project. “We wanted to keep that sensibility. The building is a varied palimpsest, with traces of the past appearing within the new facade.”
      An oculus punctures the curved overhang above the main entranceThe entrance to the 3,182-square-foot (296-square-metre) showroom is on an acute street corner, beneath a curved canopy clad in grey stucco.

      “This rounded marquee, punctuated by an overhead oculus, evokes the automobile-oriented Streamline Moderne era,” said Formation Association.
      Another circular cutout was created in the first gallery, exposing wooden beams that were painted silverThe textured stucco is contrasted by smooth trowelled plaster that covers adjacent surfaces, intended to add a Southern California identity to the building.
      On the east elevation, the team retained the sheet metal siding and an old doorway of a historic facade.
      Oak floors throughout the building match those found in Phillips’ other international locationsThis side of the building also includes a tall, narrow window through which Phillips can move large artworks in and out.
      Along the south facade, the architects added recessed windows cut at angles into the thickened perimeter wall, which allow more light into the galleries.
      The tallest space in the building, Showroom C, will be used to showcase larger artworks and sculptureInside, the three gallery spaces are laid out in sequence. Upon entry is Showroom A, which features a soffit ceiling and wide baseboards to evoke a residential space.
      A second oculus punctures the ceiling, exposing wooden beams painted silver as a nod to the work of Californian architect Richard Neutra.
      Steps and a ramp lead up to an office space that’s also used for client meetingsThe smallest gallery, Showroom B, is accessed through an open portal, and Showroom C is reached through a similar threshold.
      With a ceiling over 15 feet (4.5 metres) tall, this gallery is used for displaying larger artworks and sculptures.

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      All three spaces feature oak floors that match those found in all of Phillips’ international locations.
      “With the interplay of light and oak wood floors across the three subsequent showrooms, we were thinking about the cadence of an irregular enfilade,” said Chan. “Each of the three galleries has a distinct proportion that we wanted to leverage.”
      At the back of the building is a patio enclosed by grey-stained plywood wallsFrom Showroom C, a couple of steps and a ramp lead up to a small office used for client meetings.
      At the back of the building is the covered patio, enclosed by walls made from plywood that was stained grey to match the exterior stucco.
      Phillips Los Angeles opened in October 2022The opening of Phillips Los Angeles follows over a decade of continual growth for the city’s arts scene, which has seen galleries like Hauser & Wirth and The Future Perfect set up shop, and an annual edition of the Frieze Art Fair introduced.
      Formation Association is led by Chan and partner Grace U Oh. As well as completing a variety of institutional, residential and commercial projects, the studio has contributed several times to a program organised by the Architects for Animals charity that asks LA-based architects to design shelters for the city’s homeless cats.
      The photography is by Eric Staudenmaier.
      Project credits:
      Design team: John K Chan, Nick Miuccio, Carlo ‘CJ’ Guzman, Jay Lee, Colin JacobsStructural engineer: Nous EngineeringMEP engineer: Engineous GroupLighting designer: Fisher Marantz StoneLandscape designer: Ochre

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