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      BC designs Francis Gallery LA to celebrate Korean art and culture

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      Gallerist Rosa Park has opened a space in Los Angeles to showcase the work of Korean artists and designers, with interiors by local studio BC intended to reflect the country’s visual culture.

      Francis Gallery LA is Park’s second location and is an expansion of her original gallery in Bath, UK – both presenting the work of emerging Korean artists.
      Places of worship informed the interiors of the gallery on Melrose AvenueSituated on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood, the new space was designed with Lindsey Chan and Jerome Byron, founders of LA-based BC.
      The duo preserved the building while transforming the inside with references to traditional Korean architecture and art.
      The inaugural exhibition displays the work of six artists, including photography by Koo BohnchangThese include a curved partition wall influenced by a moon jar and a contemporary re-interpretation of a hanok courtyard.

      “The space was conceived to pay homage to Korean art and design in subtle ways – whether it was in the curve of a partition wall, the colour palette of the interior paints, or the profile of a low bench in the courtyard,” said Park.
      BC designed the gallery to be pared-back yet warmPlaces of worship like chapels and monasteries were also referenced in the design. These were accentuated by the use of “humble materials” and pared-back forms.
      Although minimal, the intention was to ensure the gallery still felt warm and inviting, as well as provide an appropriate setting for the pieces on show.
      Rahee Yoon’s translucent acrylic blocks are among the works on show”I think this emotional connection to a space, to a work, is central to what I’m doing with Francis,” Park said.
      “It was of great importance to me that the space acted as the ideal framework to house works that I hope will move people.”

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      The inaugural exhibition at Francis Gallery LA is titled Morning Calm, on view until 7 January 2023, and features the work of six artists of Korean descent.
      Bo Kim, John Zabawa, Koo Bohn Chang, Nancy Kwon, Rahee Yoon and Song Jaeho are all at different stages in their careers.
      An abstract painting by John Zabawa hangs on a dark wallTheir painting, photography, sculpture and ceramics all explore Korean identity in an international context and offer insights into the artists’ cultural heritage.
      “With Los Angeles being home to the largest Korean community in the United States and Park having roots in both Seoul and LA, the debut show seeks to explore the nuanced connections between the two places,” said a statement from the gallery.
      References to Korean architecture at the gallery include a contemporary interpretation of a traditional hanok courtyardLA’s art scene has grown exponentially over the past decade, and the city is now home to many new galleries and exhibition spaces.
      Well-known names that have opened their own locations there include Hauser & Wirth and The Future Perfect, while others like Marta are using modernist buildings like Neutra’s VDL II House to exhibit.
      The photography is by Rich Stapleton.

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      Woods + Dangaran brings warmth and light to mid-century modern home in Los Angeles

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      Teak wood, travertine stone and expansive glazing all feature in Woods + Dangaran’s renovation of a mid-century modern house that once belonged to singer Bing Crosby’s manager.

      Los Angeles-based Woods + Dangaran has both upgraded the architecture and designed the interiors for Clear Oak Residence, which is located on a hillside above LA’s San Fernando Valley.
      Clear Oak Residence is located on a hillside above LA’s San Fernando ValleyThe design aims to enhance the building’s relationship with its setting while also bringing an increased sense of warmth and comfort to the living spaces.
      Doorways and windows were adjusted and enlarged to enable wraparound views of the landscape, while skylights were added to highlight key moments within the interior.
      A new swimming pool cantilevers out towards the viewTravertine creates a continuous floor surface that extends out from the living spaces to a sunset terrace, while teak provides wall panelling and in-built joinery throughout.

      “The architectural finish palette was intentionally limited to four materials: clear anodised aluminium, plaster, travertine, and teak for the wall panelling,” said Woods + Dangaran.
      “This visual restraint manifests in a serene ambiance that permeates all aspects of the residence.”
      Travertine flooring extends both inside and outClear Oak Residence is shortlisted for Dezeen Awards 2022 in the house interior category, where it will compete with four other projects – including another one by Woods + Dangaran – for the title.
      Woods + Dangaran designed this project for client Robert Galishoff, whose brief to the architects was to embrace the building’s mid-century heritage but ensure the result exudes a sense of “effortless luxury”.
      Teak provides wall panelling and custom joineryLandscaping played a big role in the transformation. By relocating the swimming pool so that it cantilevers over the hill and adjusting the topography, more terrace and deck space could be created.
      Sliding floor-to-ceiling glass doors allow the main bedroom, the living room and the dining area to open out to this terrace.

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      “Enlarged doorways and windows inside the house, including floor-to-ceiling glass doors, integrate the interior spaces with the landscape and foreground views by eliminating barriers,” said the architects.
      “Glazed openings inserted along corridors create memorable spatial experiences from new axes and vantage points.”
      Skylights create framed views of the skyThe interior furnishings include both new and retro pieces in natural materials and warm colours, which sit alongside Galishoff’s collection of objets d’art.
      The living room features a copper silk shag rug from Mehraban, a Minotti sectional reupholstered in a retro-patterned textile and a pair of the Arthur Casas-designed Amorfa coffee tables.
      “Inspired by mid-century pieces but adjusted for scale, function, and material, these pieces give the home a unique voice that mixes old and new, retro with contemporary vibes,” said Woods + Dangaran.
      The design respect’s the building’s mid-century heritageLed by architects Brett Woods and Joe Dangaran, Woods + Dangaran has developed a reputation for modernising mid-century homes but also designs new-builds with a similar character.
      Other recent projects include an upgrade of a 1960s Craig Ellwood house and a brass-clad home in Palm Springs.
      The photography is by Joe Fletcher.

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      Alexander May launches Sized Studio creative space in Los Angeles

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      Alexander May, the founder of creative advisory Sized, has opened a flexible studio space in a former industrial building in Hollywood that will host photoshoots, events, exhibitions and more.

      Sized Studio was designed over 5,000 square feet (465 square metres) in a former industrial space. The space will host commercial projects, events, dinners, performances and other experiential marketing, as well as public-facing programming.
      Sized Studio offers a variety of bookable spaces, including a loading bay with built-in lounge seating”Sized Studio is an exciting step in the development of the Sized brand,” said May. “It’s designed to create strong collaborations with designers, brands, and creatives. Sized Studio gives another layer of access to the environments that Sized creates.”
      A variety of spaces in the former industrial building can be booked for photographers to shoot campaigns, galleries to put on exhibitions and brands to host activations.
      Located in Hollywood, Los Angeles, the venue is designed to be a blank canvasCeiling heights in the different rooms range from 10 to 30 feet (three to nine metres), and the majority of spaces are white-washed to provide a blank canvas.

      Of the larger spaces is a 1,612-square-foot (150-square-metre) loading bay, which features exposed beams and built-in lounge seating with black cushions.
      Flexible rooms in a variety of sizes are offered to clientsAnyone who rents a space will have the opportunity to enlist Sized’s advisory services, which encompass creative direction, set design, site activation and curatorial consultation.
      “There’s no limit to what kind of activations can be realized within Sized Studio,” May said. “What’s unique about Sized Studio is that it’s adjacent to Sized, which allows the people who use it to become closer to the larger culturally conscious community that Sized embodies.”

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      Although the studios officially open on 17 October 2022, Kim Kardashian’s underwear brand Skims has already utilised the studio, while upcoming public progamming includes a planned showcase of Andy Warhol photography.
      May founded Sized in 2021, following a career in creative direction across a wide variety of locations and industries.
      The majority of the former industrial building interior is white-washedHis collaborators have ranged from interior designer Kelly Wearstler to fashion house Rick Owens.
      Prior to this venture, May founded and provided creative direction for art non-profit Fondazione Converso in Milan from 2017 to 2020.
      Ceiling heights vary from 10 to 30 feet (three to nine metres)Similar creative hubs to Sized Studio elsewhere include Spring Studios in New York, located in a Tribeca telephone exchange building converted by AA Studio.
      Brooklyn venue A/D/O by MINI hosted multiple creative events and installations before it was shuttered due to the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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      Kate Byron designs modernist Don't Worry Darling set as “a playful and debaucherous take on the 1950s”

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      Production designer Kate Byron used vintage “treasures” and referenced key modernist architecture to create the set of psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling, which was shot in California’s Palm Springs.

      Byron drew on the architecture and interior style of the many modernist buildings that dominate the landscape in the desert city to create Victory – a fictional, utopian 1950s-style society where the film takes place.
      Katie Byron referenced modernist architecture for the film”We wanted to build a playful and debaucherous take on the 1950s, when there was this illustrious progressive, mid-century modern movement happening,” Byron told Dezeen.
      “The world of Victory is supposed to be alluring, it’s supposed to be beautiful and sultry and sumptuous and opulent.”
      It was shot in Palm Springs, a Californian city famous for its modernist architectureDirected by actor and director Olivia Wilde, Don’t Worry Darling follows fiery couple Alice and Jack – played by British actor Florence Pugh and musician and actor Harry Styles – as they go from living in an idealistic paradise to a troubled world fraught with secrets, control and manipulation.

      The characters move across a quintessential Palm Springs backdrop of low-slung buildings with clean lines by architects including Richard Neutra, Harold Bissner Junior and Albert Frey.
      Kaufmann House was one of the filming locationsSeveral scenes, such as a cocktail party hosted by the leader of Victory which took place in Neutra’s Kaufmann House, were shot in real modernist buildings, while the home of protagonists Alice and Jack was built in a Los Angeles studio.
      “We’re really lucky in California to have access to this architecture and in my history of being an architecture student and a production designer, I’ve gotten to visit a lot of these houses in person,” Byron said.
      “I was interested in Neutra, but also Frey was a huge inspiration for us because of that playful wholesomeness that he embodied,” she said.
      Alice and Jack’s house is filled with locally sourced propsByron, who studied architecture at University of California, Berkeley, threaded more subtle modernist details into the interiors of Don’t Worry Darling through devices such as colour.
      “A colour we used quite a bit was Frey’s favourite colour – this Frey blue – which is like a robin’s-egg blue that he puts in all of his buildings,” explained Byron.
      “There’s also a colour that Kaufman House has quite a bit of; Neutra put this really, really, really dark brown that almost feels black, but it has this warmth to it,” she continued. “We weaved that throughout the film as well.”
      Byron used lots of glass and mirrors throughout the setByron sourced vintage products from shops and prop houses in LA for Alice and Jack’s home, which recalls “cookie-cutter” houses – rows of identical homes found in idyllic depictions of 1950s suburbia.
      Much of the furniture seen was built from scratch, in part because the film was shot during the autumn of 2020 when many vendors were unavailable or had long lead times as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

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      “When you’re in Palm Springs, they just have these antique stores and even in thrift stores and Facebook marketplace you can find really special things,” the designer recalled.
      “That’s also one of the most amazing things about Los Angeles – there are infinite prop houses here so we shopped quite a bit at all the local prop houses,” she continued.
      “The television in Alice and Jack’s house is from this vendor called RC Vintage, which is just like a treasure trove place of antique electronics.”
      Much of the furniture was made from scratchOther smaller references were embedded into Byron’s material choices, primarily glass, stone and brick.
      Meanwhile, the designer paid homage to Neutra’s storage cabinets, which the production team filled with items such as business cards, cleaning supplies and photographs of Alice and Jack to make the set feel more real for the actors.
      “Keeping with Neutra as our design inspiration, the house is designed with a lot of storage in mind – we wanted all of this stuff to be cleanly kept behind doors,” Byron said.
      The desert setting is designed to look like a utopiaByron hoped that by incorporating playful elements throughout the set she could “subvert” the sense of normalcy in Victory and play with the audience’s expectations of a thriller.
      “The thriller follows a formula often, and I thought it could be really great to just subvert that,” she said.

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      “I think the level of play helps viewers feel like they want to be there and if it wasn’t for the playful aesthetic, I think we would be expecting something to go wrong,” she added.
      Don’t Worry Darling is not the only film that draws on a key architectural movement to inform its set. Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs film sets were heavily informed by metabolist architecture, while Black Panther’s “voluptuous” sets recalled works by architect Zaha Hadid.
      The photography is courtesy of Warner Bros.

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      Johnston Marklee installs villas inside industrial LA building for Holly Hunt Showroom

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      Architecture studio Johnston Marklee has installed a pair of villas inside an industrial building in Hollywood to create display spaces for design brand Holly Hunt.

      The LA-based studio collaborated with Holly Hunt’s executive creative director Jo Annah Kornak to create the showroom on North Highland Avenue.
      A vaulted villa is one of two volumes installed inside Holly Hunt’s LA showroomLed by Johnston Marklee partner Sharon Johnston, the project involved the overhaul of a two-storey, 1940s building into a flagship location for the brand to showcase its furniture and home products.
      Holly Hunt’s design aesthetic and the city’s “characteristic industrial grit” were combined through the use of rich finishes and raw surfaces.
      Furniture from the brand’s Vladimir Kagan and Holly Hunt Studio collections are displayed in the north villaTwo villas were created inside the showroom to present the designs in residential-scale spaces, surrounded by a “promenade” that shows off the building’s tall ceilings and exposed concrete beams.

      “The raw concrete shell frames an interior street,” said Johnston.
      “A double-height promenade space around the villas, together with the villa interiors, creates an atmosphere and experiential narrative for the display of elegant domestic furniture for house and garden.”
      The second villa includes interior vignettes on the lower levelThe villa to the north features a vaulted ceiling and wall niches and is used to display the brand’s Vladimir Kagan and Holly Hunt Studio collections.
      At the other end of the building, a two-level structure is arranged around a large circular atrium at the centre.
      A circular atrium is located at the centre of the second villaThe lower floor comprises a series of interior vignettes, while rooms upstairs house a library of textiles, leather, trim and rugs, along with wallcoverings from a variety of affiliate brands.
      “The visitors’ journey through the spaces reflects a spatial dialogue between exterior and interior, linked through richly finished in-between spaces,” Johnston said.
      A taller space named the promenade surrounds the building’s interiorLight-grey oak flooring runs through both villas, while terrazzo, concrete walls and hand-troweled plaster are all executed in a matte finish in the promenade.
      Bronze details also feature throughout the showroom, including the entry vestibules, stairwell and lighting gallery.

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      Although most of the interior is decorated in neutral tones, a 24-foot (7.3-metre), mustard-coloured sofa follows a curved corner of the building.
      “We approached the interior architecture in the same way that we would design a new product, being very thoughtful with our use of scale, proportion and materials,” said Kornak.
      The concrete of the 1940s industrial building is left exposed”We were very intentional about incorporating elements that celebrate LA’s signature urban aesthetic, like the original exposed concrete walls, beams, and other details throughout the space,” she added.
      Holly Hunt was set up in 1983 by its eponymous founder in Chicago.
      The brand previously operated two spaces within LA’s Pacific Design Center, but has scaled down to just the sixth-floor showroom now that the North Highland Avenue flagship has opened.
      Matte finishes and bronze details are used throughout the showroomJohnston and partner Mark Lee established their studio in 1998, and have since completed many private residential projects in Southern California – including the Vault House and Knoll’s West Hollywood showroom – as well as around the world.
      Lee is also chair of the Department of Architecture at Harvard Graduate School of Design.
      The photography is by The Ingalls.

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      Latest Soho House outpost in Los Angeles takes cues from California's mid-century art scene

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      Soho House has opened Holloway House, its third members’ club in Los Angeles, where colours and patterns are based on the work of artists such as David Hockney.

      Holloway House is located a few blocks east of Soho House West Hollywood but offers hotel rooms on top of lounge and dining spaces, while its sister property only has the latter.
      The Club area at Holloway House features green terrazzo flooringSpread over four floors and a rooftop, the club was envisioned by the company’s in-house design team, with nods to the bright block colours and strong geometric shapes of LA’s mid-century art scene.
      The interiors draw “inspiration from the Southern California landscape as well as the art movement in the 1950s and 1960s, when artists like Ed Ruscha, David Hockney, Robert Irwin and others found an unlikely home in the city,” the company said.
      Dark grey shelving in the library is contrasted with a boldly patterned carpetThe Club space on the ground floor features mint-green terrazzo floors accompanied by bespoke furniture upholstered in neutral-toned velvet and patterned fabrics.

      The flooring continues into the bar area – an outdoor atrium with table seating in golden textured fabrics to complement the various shades of green.
      The restaurant on the ground floor features burgundy leather boothsIn contrast, the library is decorated in dark grey, with a bold-patterned carpet and floor-to-ceiling shelving that wraps the space and is populated with artworks, books and lamps.
      Burgundy leather booths are paired with vintage chairs in the ground-floor restaurant, which has a menu built around popular dishes from other Soho House locations.
      Rows of cabanas face lounge seating and plants on the roofOn the roof, stepped rows of shaded cabanas face lounge seating, a screen of tropical planting and views of both the Hollywood Hills and Downtown LA.
      The Mandolin Mezze restaurant, an offshoot of the Mandolin Aegean Bistro in Miami, serves small plates and organic Greek wines to guests lounging on the neutral-toned outdoor furniture.

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      Colour is introduced to the rooftop through bold checked floor tiles, burgundy-piped umbrellas and an abstract mural by local artist Jessalyn Brooks.
      Other artworks throughout Holloway House were sourced from LA artists under 40 and include sculptures, photographs, works on paper, paintings and textile-based pieces.
      The building includes 34 guest bedrooms decorated with 1960s-influenced furnitureThe building also offers 34 hotel rooms set across its middle three floors.
      “Each is decorated with 1960s-inspired furniture, aged wooden floors and woven tapestries made with fabric designed in Southern California especially for the House,” said the design team.
      Holloway House is located just a few blocks from Soho House West HollywoodSoho House was founded in London in 1995 by Nick Jones and now has 36 properties as far-flung as Tokyo, Mumbai and Istanbul.
      Its other locations in California are Soho Warehouse in Downtown Los Angeles and Little Beach House Malibu, while other recent additions in the US include outposts in Austin and Nashville.
      The photography is by The Ingalls.

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      Part Office transforms Venice Beach condos into “calm” live-work units

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      Los Angeles design studio Part Office has renovated two condominiums on the California coast, as part of a wider conversion of buildings into hybrid residential and office spaces.

      Sited directly on the Venice Beach boardwalk, the Venice Lofts occupy a pair of buildings that are undergoing updates to create a 44,000-square-foot (4,088-square-metre) complex of 12 live-work units.
      Part Office used a minimal material and colour palette to transform the condos into live-work unitsPhase one of the project involved the completion of two units, as well as exterior common areas, hardscaping and landscaping in collaboration with LA studio Cactus Store.
      Finished without specific tenants, the spaces were designed to be neutral and flexible, with a restrained material palette of oak, concrete, steel and tile used throughout.
      Double-height spaces were kept open and sparsely furnished”In contrast to similar programs, where trends within start-up culture favour bold and irreverent design gestures detached from their specific users or locations, our intent was to create a calm environment that reflected a nostalgic coastal experience,” said Part Office.

      Code and structural requirements meant that the building envelopes were preserved, and that units need to have an equal division of “live” and “work” spaces.
      Accordion doors allow spaces to be separated or joined as requiredDue to the shift in office culture during the pandemic, the team chose to lend the units a less formal and more residential atmosphere. Although layouts of some units vary slightly, all are organised in a similar way.
      Lower floors are designated primarily for residential use, with necessities like kitchens and bathrooms, while other adjustable spaces are separated by rows of accordion doors.
      Concealed doors under the stairs open to provide storage spaceOpen double-height areas function as living spaces but can also be used as more casual work environments, and are sparsely populated with modular pieces crafted by LA-based Michael O’Connell Furniture.
      Open workspaces can be found upstairs, furnished with custom desks that feature angular steel bases and lime-washed ash tops. Each unit also comes with its own roof deck.

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      Grooved oak panelling used across walls and concealed doors was also lime-washed “to create a more beach weathered appearance”, and guardrails were installed with a very fine mesh “to appear like window screens overlooking the beach”.
      “Attention was placed on the detail, finish, and interaction of each material in order to elevate their appearance,” said Part Office.
      Workspaces upstairs are furnished with custom desksOn the exterior, orange glazed tiles by ceramic artist Sofia Londono were added to breezeways to demarcate unit entries, and the planting evokes windswept coastal environments.
      Venice Beach, which is known for its bohemian and creative spirit, is a popular place for small businesses like design studios and architecture firms to operate from.
      Orange glazed tiles and coastal planting were used to enliven the exterior spacesFurniture company Emeco recently opened a cactus-filled brand space in a converted an old sewing factory in the neighbourhood.
      The photography is by Taiyo Watanabe and Gustav Liliequist.
      Project credits:
      Design: Part OfficeTeam: Jeff Kaplon, Kristin Korven, Israel CejaArchitect of record: Klawiter and AssociatesContractor: Barling ConstructionLandscape: Cactus StoreFurniture: Michael O’Connell Furniture

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      Nwankpa Design creates compact, colourful sanctuary for working mom in LA

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      California studio Nwankpa Design has transformed a room in a family house into a colourful, private space for a mother to work, breastfeed and exercise.

      The project, called Cumberland Hideaway, was designed by local firm Nwankpa Design for a creative director and mother of two. Totalling 200 square feet (18.5 square metres), the slender, rectangular room is located within a suburban, ranch-style home in Los Angeles.
      Cumberland Hideaway was designed by local firm Nwankpa DesignThe space formerly held a storage area, and before that, it served as a garage.
      The client desired a “sanctuary” where she could work, nurse and ride a fitness bike, in addition to having storage space. The design needed to be as efficient as possible because of the room’s limited size.
      “The programme packs a lot into the small footprint,” the studio said.

      The room was designed for a mother to breastfeed, work and exerciseThe team opted for blocks of colour, streamlined cabinetry and contemporary decor. The combined elements create variety without making the space feel too crowded.
      A skylight and slit windows bring in daylight while also offering privacy. Extra illumination is provided by globe-shaped Carina Maxi pendants from Nuevo Living, a Restoration Hardware chandelier and sconces by Brooklyn studio In Common With.
      Nwankpa Design added colourful accents to the spaceWalls are sheathed in a light-grey wallpaper from Fayce. Bush-hammered porcelain tile was used for the flooring.
      Furnishings include a wooden treadmill desk, a Blu Dot table and a peach sofa from Interior Define. A bold, striped rug by Ralph Lauren helps delineate the lounge area.
      Furnishings include a wooden work deskCustom medium-density fibreboard cabinets – in shades of pale pink, baby blue and white – were staggered to fit a Peloton exercise bike. Brass was selected for knobs and handles. A mini fridge was incorporated into cabinetry along one wall.
      A range of potted plants helps to round out the space.

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      Studio founder Susan Nwankpa Gillespie said the project brief resonated with her, being a working mom herself.
      “It’s about all of the things we need, without compromising what we want,” she said.
      “We need a space to decompress – somewhere we can focus and get work done, whatever kind of work that is,” she added. “We also want it to feel special, to uplift us.”
      Nwankpa Design scattered potted plants around the roomOther spaces for working moms include Big and Tiny, a co-working facility with on-site childcare that features wooden decor and a blue-and-pink colour palette, and a variety of outposts for The Wing, a women-focused, co-working company.
      The photography is by Madeline Tolle.
      Project credits:
      Design studio: Nwankpa DesignTeam: Susan Nwankpa Gillespie (lead designer), Lillian Nguyen (designer)

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