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frank gehry designs new center for young artists at LA’s colburn school

frank gehry-designed school: breaking ground ceremony

The Colburn School in Los Angeles, one of the world’s leading schools for music and dance, held a groundbreaking ceremony for its 100,000-square-foot expansion designed by Frank Gehry. The new Colburn Center will dramatically increase the school’s elite training and performance facilities and provide much-needed performance space, including a 1,000-seat, state-of-the-art concert hall, for young artists across LA. The groundbreaking ceremony took place adjacent to the construction site at 130 Olive Street, located within Downtown Los Angeles’s Bunker Hill area diagonally across the street from Colburn’s existing campus on Grand Avenue. The expansion will stand as an important addition to the cultural corridor which includes Gehry Partners’ Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Music Center, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Diller Scofidio + Renfro-designed broad. Anticipated completion is expected for the first quarter of 2027.

left to right: Sel Kardan, Carol Colburn Grigor, Andrew Millstein, Jerry Kohl, Terri Kohl, Maeesha Merchant, Toby Mayman, Merle Mullin, and Terry Greene at Colburn Center groundbreaking ceremony, April 5, 2024 | image © Loreen Sarkis

a hall for all

Designed by Frank Gehry (see more), the Colburn Center at the Colburn School (see more) will be a ‘hall for all,’ giving artists and students a place to shine. the center will stand at the crossroads of culture, education, and landmark architecture — marking frank gehry’s third project within three blocks to become the world’s greatest concentration of his architecture. The colburn school welcomes over 2,000 students from across los angeles and around the world, with ages ranging from seven months to adult. the new center will make the colburn campus an even livelier hub of artistic activity and enable the school to expand its mission of presenting programs for the public, which include performance and educational collaborations with acclaimed local and touring artists and ensembles. it will also provide much needed performance space in a mid-sized hall for the region’s established and emerging performing arts organizations.

view from hill street west towards dance school entrance | image © Gehry Partners

the 1,000 seat theater, ‘terri and jerry kohl hall’

Frank Gehry’s Colburn Center will welcome students and audiences alike, with a dynamic composition of transparent and opaque interlocking blocks that step down into the natural contour of the site. A 1,000-seat concert hall uses an in-the-round design to create intimacy between the performers and the audience and removes the stage lip, putting front-row seats at eye-level with the performers. Orchestra, opera, dance, and musical theater will all be at home in the hall, which is equipped with an orchestra pit and a stage large enough to accommodate the grandest works and the largest orchestrations.

branded shovels used for groundbreaking ceremony | image © Loreen Sarkis

the theater and dance studios

Four professional-sized dance studios and a 100-seat flexible studio theater are enveloped in glass and provide a literal window into the beauty and rigor of dance training and performance. Qith a separate entrance and distinct architectural character, the light-filled dance facilities will have their own identity while harmonizing with the larger project. The Colburn Center will be equipped to take a modern approach to multi-media technology and production. The facilities include commercial-quality recording and streaming capabilities, and performance spaces will be outfitted with state-of-the-art lighting. Public spaces include an outdoor plaza, giving visitors a front-row seat to the performing arts, and gardens which provide much-needed green space and pedestrian access to nearby public transit hubs.

view from Hill Street and 2nd Street intersection

colburn president sel kardan comments: ‘With great joy and excitement, we share the design of Frank Gehry’s multi-dimensional project, which will welcome our students, performing artists, and audiences from across los angeles.The Colburn Center is a physical manifestation of the school’s founding principle of ‘access to excellence,’ allowing Colburn to continue and expand our educational and performance activities in a design which breaks down barriers between audience and performer and reveals the educational process. We look forward to collaborating with our artistic partners in Terri and Jerry Kohl hall, which complements the other stellar performance spaces in Downtown Los Angeles.’

performance by the Colburn Conservatory’s Pep Band | image © Loreen Sarkis

inside the 1,000-seat Terri and Jerry Kohl Hall | image © Gehry Partners

Reference

Interior Design

Bruno Mars and Yabu Pushelberg design cocktail lounge in Las Vegas

By Zarkon Group,20/03/2024

Musician Bruno Mars and design studio Yabu Pushelberg have teamed up to create the interiors of a cocktail lounge and live music venue at the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas.

Named The Pinky Ring, the 5,000-square-foot (465-square-metre) lounge is accessible directly from the casino floor, but designed as an entirely separate experience away from the bright lights, bustle and noise.

Bar at The Pinky Ring surrounded by golden drapes — The stone bar at The Pinky Ring is surrounded by golden drapes that are reflected in the mirrored ceiling

Grammy Award-winning artist Mars collaborated with Canadian studio Yabu Pushelberg to craft an elevated and luxurious space within the Bellagio Resort and Casino.

The bar serves a curated collection of cocktails and hosts live entertainment by top musicians and DJs – though no phones are allowed inside.

View from VIP area at The Pinky Ring — A huge crystal chandelier hangs in the centre of the lounge and is visible from all corners

The entry sequence begins with a dimly lit mirrored passageway, where Mars’ collection of Grammy trophies is displayed.

“Inspired by contemporary museum design, the corridor was designed as a soothing and discreet exhibition space where guests can cleanse their visual palette from the outside world and begin to submerge into The Pinky Ring,” said the design team.

VIP area lined with faceted mirrored panels — A VIP area is lined with faceted mirrored panels that create infinite reflections

Guests arrive at the main bar and lounge in front of a sunken conversation pit, wrapped with a wavy banquette and furnished with soft armchairs gathered around a series of small tables.

The carpet, the leather and the velvet chair upholstery are shades of green – colours also found in the richly veined stone tabletops.

Seating area in a niche featuring dark wood-veneer panels — Other niches with additional seating feature dark wood-veneer panels

A giant halo-like chandelier with tiers of glowing crystal hangs from the ceiling above, providing a central focal point that can be seen from every corner.

At the rear of the space is a gently curved, dramatically patterned stone bar, topped with a row of metallic Flowerpot lamps by Verner Panton.

Conversation pit with carpet, chairs and banquettes in various shades of green — In the central conversation pit, various shades of green were chosen for the carpet, chairs and banquettes

The back bar is housed within an elongated pill-shaped, mirrored recess, which displays a wide range of liquor bottles and is ringed with stepped cove lights.

Golden drapes run floor to ceiling across the back wall and are reflected in more mirrors on the ceiling.

Seats and banquette surrounding a table with a richly veined stone top — The green hues of the seating are echoed in the richly veined stone tabletops

Off the main lounge are various niches and VIP areas that offer additional seating, some lined with dark wood-veneer panels.

“See or be seen, each area is composed of its own suave and purpose that echoes into the next,” said the team.

One organically shaped space is lined with faceted, smokey mirrored panels that create infinite reflections, and features a banquette that wraps around a large table fitted with a giant ice bucket for chilling drinks.

An important factor in the design was the lighting, which comprises under-seat and ceiling coves, along with wall lights with five globe-shaped diffusers attached to vertical brass rods.

Patterned crushed velvet and leather banquette — Patterned crushed velvet covers the curved banquette back, while the seat is wrapped in leather

“In the pursuit of perpetual allure, where lighting not only transforms spaces, but perceptions, The Pinky Ring unveils a strategic lighting innovation, schemed to make people look and feel their best,” the team said.

“Through a strategic interplay of low-level, contrast, and accent lighting, The Pinky Ring lighting design unveils the unseen.”

Mars joins a long line of famous musicians to open entertainment venues. Among others is singer Justin Timberlake, who put his name behind an AvroKO-designed Nashville dining and drinking destination in 2021.

Bathroom with a large circular mirror and walls lined in pink-red stone tiles — Pink-red stone tiles across the bathroom walls nod to the lounge’s name

Yabu Pushelberg was founded by George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg in 1980, and the studio has designed some of the most recognisable hospitality interiors over the past four decades.

Shortlisted for Dezeen Awards 2021 design studio of the year and judges for the program in 2023, Yabu Pushelberg’s recent projects include the Moxy and AC Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles – of several they’ve completed for the Moxy brand – and The Londoner hotel on Leicester Square in the UK capital.

The photography is by Sean Davidson.

Reference

Interior Design

ICRAVE unveils sci-fi interiors of MSG Sphere Las Vegas

By Zarkon Group,02/11/2023

US studio ICRAVE has revealed images of the public spaces inside the world’s largest spherical structure in Las Vegas.

Chosen through an international competition, ICRAVE was tasked with designing the interiors of the public spaces within the MSG Sphere Las Vegas by Sphere Entertainment – the giant venue’s operator.

Dark tunnel with arches illuminated with blue light — Upon entering the MSG Sphere Las Vegas, visitors are ushered through an arched passageway

The scope included the building’s entry bridges, lobby and guest welcome areas, the main concourse, food and beverage outlets, as well as private artist dressing rooms, and VIP clubs and suites.

The 20,000-person venue, designed by architecture firm Populous, was unveiled over the summer.

Atrium with shiny black floors and walls lit up in blue — In the main atrium, the building’s curves continue across the intersecting balconies and bridges. This photo and top are by Rich Fury / Sphere Entertainment

While the building’s exterior is covered with 580,000 square feet (53,900 square metres) of programmable LED panels, the inside glows with bands of coloured indirect lighting.

“The spectacle that is Sphere on the outside sets the stage and bar for how magical the designed experience ICRAVE was tasked with must be on the inside,” said the studio, which has offices in New York City and Miami and is led by Lionel Ohayon.

Pink lighting in the atrium — The colourful indirect lighting throughout the public spaces can be customised for different performances

Upon entering the venue, visitors are ushered through a series of repeated illuminated archways before arriving in a vast eight-storey atrium.

Here, the building’s curved form is continued through a series of sweeping balconies and bridges, which intersect at different points across multiple levels to create “a sense of continuous motion”.

Thresholds and doorways are also shaped as either circles or ovals, while beside the escalators, a 160-foot-tall (49-metre) scrim wall hanging acts as a huge lenticular light installation.

Reflective black terrazzo flooring creates a sci-fi feel within the public spaces, which is further enhanced by the coloured lighting.

Arched opening in a pink-lit wall — Thresholds and doorways are shaped as circles and arches, while black terrazzo flooring reflects the light

“The lighting sets the tone and ‘performs’ as part of the Sphere experience from entry, to Atrium activation, to showtime, and as you transition out of Sphere and back to the bustle of Vegas,” ICRAVE said.

The studio also designed the various food and beverage spaces within the venue, each carrying a distinct character.

Dark bar area with gold-lit counter and column — Each of the food and beverage outlets features a different design

Tucked into areas where the ceiling height is lower, these bars and food vendor spots include fluted panels, dark counters, and more indirect lighting.

Throughout the building, mathematical graphics added to surfaces are derived from the equations used in the Sphere’s construction.

In the dressing rooms, artists can enjoy lounge areas and massage chairs, as well as makeup stations, private bathrooms and showers.

Meanwhile, the VIP viewing suites feature a mix of absorptive and reflective materials intended not to distract from the performances.

Long bar with lighting installations — The venue can accommodate up to 20,000 visitors

“In an effort to create a transformative entertainment space that takes artists and fans out of the mundane and into the future, ICRAVE sought to bring life to every inch of Sphere, not just the stage,” said the studio.

“With a sophisticated mix of lighting, soundscape, visuals, ambiance and tactile elements, audiences and the artists will have a captivating experience like nowhere else in the world.”

Scrim wall behind an escalator bank, with spherical pendant lights in the foreground — A huge scrim wall behind the escalators acts like a lenticular lighting installation. Photo by Rich Fury / Sphere Entertainment

The Sphere began its programming in October with a concert by U2, featuring visuals by designer Es Devlin, artist John Gerrard and more on an enormous wrap-around screen.

A similar venue was also planned for London, but the government put the project on hold earlier this year to give the Secretary of State more time to review the proposal.

The photography is by ICRAVE unless stated otherwise.

Project credits:

Owner and developer: Sphere Entertainment
Architect: Populous
Interior designer: ICRAVE
Lighting designer: Journey
Audio engineer: ARUP
Audio tech / manufacturer: Holoplot

Reference

Interior Design

Sheft Farrace designs loft in LA’s art deco Eastern Columbia building

By Zarkon Group,20/04/2023

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.

Dining room and living room — Sheft Farrace chose to divide up the loft, yet retain visual connections through framed openings

It 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.

Living room — The pared-down decor contrasts the building’s colourful exterior

The 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.

Bedroom with tall ceiling and drapery — The ceiling height is accentuated by tall windows and floor-to-ceiling drapery

However, 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.

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.

Kitchen with white oak and Florida Brush quartzite — Materials like white oak and Florida Brush quartzite in the kitchen nod to the art deco exterior

The 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.”

Bathroom lined with Verde Aver marble — In the bathroom, Verde Aver marble was also chosen to reference the historic tiled facades

Downtown 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.

Reference

las

frank gehry designs new center for young artists at LA’s colburn school

frank gehry-designed school: breaking ground ceremony

a hall for all

the 1,000 seat theater, ‘terri and jerry kohl hall’

the theater and dance studios

Bruno Mars and Yabu Pushelberg design cocktail lounge in Las Vegas

ICRAVE unveils sci-fi interiors of MSG Sphere Las Vegas

Sheft Farrace designs loft in LA’s art deco Eastern Columbia building

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