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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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      Ringo Studio completes colourful cookware store for Our Place in Los Angeles

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      Brooklyn-based Ringo Studio designed a store for kitchenware brand Our Place that features colourful tile displays and expressive drapery that hangs from the ceiling.

      The Our Place Melrose store is the brand’s second location in Los Angeles, following the inaugural shop in Venice, and is situated in West Hollywood’s busy shopping district.
      The Our Place store is designed to showcase the brand’s colourful cookwareThe interiors by Ringo Studio are based on the identifiable colour palette of Our Place cookware sets, which are known for in a variety of pastel, neutral and jewel-toned hues.
      “It retains the warmth and intricacy of Our Place’s first store in Venice, concepted by Mythology, while also taking Our Place’s design ethos into new and unique expressions,” said the team.
      Many of the surfaces are covered in long rectangular tiles laid in a straight stack patternElements derived from classical architecture were included, from fluted columns that support a wavy-topped table to arches that curve over shelving units and form punctured openings for showcasing small items.

      Storage cabinets have rounded corners, as do the doors that front them, and many of the built-in elements also feature filleted edges.
      At the back is a space coloured entirely terracotta, which features a table displaying the brand’s productsLong rectangular tiles laid in straight stack patterns cover several of the walls and display stands.
      Each tiled block or surface is a different colour, with large panels including terracotta, lilac and cream, and smaller sections in pale blue and green.

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      An area towards the back is decorated entirely in terracotta, which covers the floor and walls, as well as matching strips of fabric hung in rows from the ceiling.
      There’s also a side room where Our Place products are laid out on a dining table with mirrors on three sides, creating infinite reflections intended to “welcome everyone to have a seat at the table”.
      A side room features mirrors on three sides to create infinite reflections of a dining table setupCovered in mosaic tiles and with an undulating front, the table is accompanied by a pair of purple velvet chairs, and from the ceiling hangs purple drapery.
      “Infused with the cozy feeling of home, the streamlined suite of products are artfully displayed throughout the store, making them feel like chic, sculptural objects,” said the Our Place team.
      Our Place Melrose is located in West Hollywood’s busy shopping district and is the brand’s second location in LARingo Studio was founded by architectural designer Madelynn Ringo, who has created retail experiences for companies such as Glossier, Studs and Funny Face Bakery.
      Last year, the studio completed a store for fitness brand Bala in New York City, which includes scaled-up versions of its products.
      The photography is by Jenna Peffley.

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      Sheft Farrace renovates loft in Los Angeles' art deco Eastern Columbia building

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      Architecture studio Sheft Farrace has renovated a loft apartment in Los Angeles’ iconic Eastern Columbia building, subtly incorporating colours from the art deco exterior into the minimalist interiors.

      The studio renovated the loft while drawing details from the exterior of the 13-storey building in Downtown Los Angeles, known for its highly detailed turquoise facade and clock tower, which was designed by Claud Beelman and completed in 1930.
      Sheft Farrace chose to divide up the loft, yet retain visual connections through framed openingsIt was converted into lofts in 2006, and local studio Sheft Farrace was recently tasked with renovating one of the condos for a young creative from Kazakhstan.
      “Uninspired by the unit’s original 2006 layout and interiors, the owner wanted it to feel like a brand new space — so Sheft Farrace approached it as a blank canvas,” said the studio, led by Alex Sheft and John Farrace.
      The pared-down decor contrasts the building’s colourful exteriorThe apartment has tall ceilings, and their height is accentuated by the building’s long narrow windows and floor-to-ceiling drapery.

      Rather than keep the open floor plan, the studio chose to divide up the space to help define areas for different functions.
      The ceiling height is accentuated by tall windows and floor-to-ceiling draperyHowever, the visual connections between the kitchen and dining room, and the living room and bedroom, are retained by large framed openings used in place of doors.
      “Every space has its own character, based on what time of day it is and how the natural light comes in through the full-height windows,” said Sheft Farrace.

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      For the most part, the home is decorated in a much more pared-down style than the building’s opulent exterior, primarily with soft neutral hues and sparse furnishings.
      Certain material choices in the kitchen and bathroom tie much more closely to the colourful facades, including white oak, Verde Aver marble, and Florida Brush quartzite to echo the orange, green and blue exterior tiles.
      Materials like white oak and Florida Brush quartzite in the kitchen nod to the art deco exteriorThe curved corners of the kitchen counters and elongated cabinet hardware also evoke 1930s design.
      “Upon first glance, it’s stylistically in stark contrast with the historical building that it’s within, but throughout the space are subtle nods to the art deco exterior and ultimately, it feels like it belongs,” Sheft Farrace said. “We felt honored to have contributed a small chapter to the long and storied history of a Los Angeles landmark.”
      In the bathroom, Verde Aver marble was also chosen to reference the historic tiled facadesDowntown Los Angeles has dramatically transformed from a no-go zone to a popular and thriving neighbourhood over the past 20 years.
      This shift is partially thanks to the opening of cultural institutions like Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall and Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s The Broad museum, as well as a spate of high-end hotels.
      The photography is by Yoshihiro Makino.

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      Yabu Pushelberg references multi-faceted LA culture in conjoined hotels

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      Canadian design studio Yabu Pushelberg has created the Moxy and AC Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles to encapsulate a variety of references to the surrounding city.

      The two hotels were placed side by side within a Gensler-designed building in central Los Angeles, with Yabu Pushelberg carrying out the design for both hotels.
      The designers used a variety of LA-oriented references across both hotels, referencing local artist culture, streetlife, the desert, as well as the imagery of movies from Hollywood.
      The Moxy Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles was designed based on deserts and cinema”Moving making and the California Dream are all mashed up together to create this atmosphere,” studio co-founder George Yabu told Dezeen.
      “We also captured the grittiness,” added co-founder Glenn Pushelberg. 

      The hotels were designed to complement each other, providing various experiences for guests, who the team hopes can be staying in one while visiting the bars and restaurants of the others.
      Yabu Pushelberg wanted to challenge guests with a sense of “grittiness”According to the duo, the hotels are meant to be the day and nighttime versions of the same person or “like the same person in different movies”.
      AC Hotel provides a more work-oriented vision and the Moxy representing a more dimly lit atmosphere.
      The Moxy includes lounge areas with plush furnitureUsing desert themes and references to the 1969 film Easy Rider starring Peter Fonda, the Moxy has rammed earth walls, woven wall hangings and homages to motorcycle culture with a custom pouf designed with Harley Davidson in mind. It even has a motorcycle in the lobby lounge.
      “If you look at the materialities and colors and textures, it is kind of off-off, which makes it on,” said Pushelberg. 
      AC Hotel is more restrainedAlso in the Moxy’s lobby is a snakeskin-like carpet with a graphic of a snake.
      The hotel includes studio spaces above the lobby with neon lights and plush furniture; minimal rooms with tile and stone walls; and a bar inspired by the “roadside gas station” with mottled stone countertops, metal mesh liquor cabinets and “cocoon-like” chairs.
      The AC Hotel is meant to evoke the artist’s loftThe AC Hotel is more restrained. The lobby is on the 34th floor and was designed to evoke the “artist’s loft” with views of the city below. Materials were inspired by Spanish architecture – such as textured plaster and stucco.
      These details continue throughout the bars, guestrooms and library lounge, with the addition of wooden sculptures and dark black tile.
      Yabu Pushelberg designed the carpets in the guest rooms to “reflect the geometric pattern and color story found throughout the hotel” and contrast the birch wood flooring.

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      According to the team, the hotels together are meant to bring together a variety of local influences to attract people to the downtown core.
      “It’s a ​​perfect time for the hotels to be there because all these different types of people have never ever had a reason to go downtown,” said Pushelberg, who referenced the growing gallery scene in the area as an additional inspiration.
      The AC’s lobby is on the 34th floor of the buildingThe design follows a slew of other hotels designed for LA’s downtown, including Hotel Per La designed by Jaqui Seerman, which occupies a 1920s bank building.
      A division of Marriot, Moxy has dozens of hotels around the world, including a recent addition in New York’s Lower East Side designed by Michaelis Boyd and Rockwell Group.

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