los angeles Archives

Apparatus updates Los Angeles showroom to include a “modernist grotto”

New York-based studio Apparatus has redesigned its Hollywood showroom with multiple material schemas and a range of its lighting and furniture products to evoke a feeling of “discovery” for visitors.

The 5,000-square-foot (464 square metres) Hollywood showroom first opened in 2018 in a former warehouse. Apparatus redesigned the interiors – which previously consisted of bold geometric and neoclassical elements – opting for an experience featuring a progression of materials that create distinct experiences for each room.

Heavily textured walls with hanging pendants — Apparatus has redesigned the interiors of its LA showroom

Its three adjoining rooms were transformed with distinct finishes and reconfigured displays.

The first room’s walls and adjoining archways were covered in a coarse rock aggregate. Beds of similar stones fill small recessed gaps between the floor and the walls and a large circular mirror sits behind an installation of the Trapeze light configured as a mobile.

Heavily textured walls of Apparatus LA showroom — The entry program features wall with a rough texture

“Upon entering, you find yourself in our version of a modernist grotto,” said Apparatus.

“Here lights are relatively low, allowing you to experience our collections with slightly subterranean undertones.”

Apparatus trapeze chandelier — The “grotto”-like room features an installation of the Trapeze chandelier

The pre-existing archways were left intact and lead into the next space, which was finished in a silver-toned plaster custom produced by New York outift Kamp Studios. This surface treatment has a reflective quality meant to contrast the first space.

It has an installation featuring multiple of Appratatus’ iconic Cloud chandeliers that give the space an airiness when contrasted with the earthy textures of the first.

Apparatus LA showroom — The second room has a smooth, silvery finish on the walls

“Silvered walls reflect without revealing, giving the impression of being inside a Renaissance coffer,” said the studio. “After the grounding of the first space, this functions as a release.”

A third room is lined with cork wall panels with intricate grain patterning and includes an unattributed bird-themed tapestry.

Natural light comes in from overhead windows casting shadows on the double-height room, and includes several products arranged sparsely across the room.

“It’s about feeling discovery and moving through layers,” said Apparatus founder Gabriel Hendifar.

Throughout, light fixtures are hung low to emphasize a dream-like characteristic of the reimagined space.

As in Apparatus’s other showrooms in New York and London, the gallery’s interior design resembles the composition of famous paintings and historical architectural styles. Italian artist Giorgio De Chirico’s Surrealist works were referenced for this room.

Apparatus showroom — The third space features cork-lined walls and a double-height ceiling

According to the company, the space was also redesigned based on a creative narrative of a hypothetical person: a woman living in New York City during the 1960s.

The hypothetical person in this case experiences the cultural tensions of the time, between old world conventions and big changes in society, such as the moon landing, embodying the “tension between modernity and the arcane”.

“What would happen if this woman moved to Los Angeles a decade later to find herself? Our Los Angeles gallery is the answer,” said the studio.

Apparatus LA — The rooms were ordered to evoke a sense of discovery

Apparatus has displayed its full suite of products in this immersive setting. Collections on view include the Cloud pendant lamp and the Episode Settee sofa.

Other recent showroom designs include the London Camper store by James Shaw and Malbon Golf Coconut Grove store by 22RE.

The photography is by Matthew Placek.

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Interior Design

Crosby Studios creates office-themed installation for The Frankie Shop

By Zarkon Group,23/03/2024

New York-based Crosby Studios has piled office equipment around a long metallic table as part of a pop-up installation for fashion brand The Frankie Shop in Los Angeles.

The month-long installation titled The Office was launched to coincide with LA Art Week and the Sag-Aftra film festival and marked the New York label The Frankie Shop‘s first presence in the Californian city.

A long, metallic conference table within an industrial-style building — A long, metallic conference table formed part of The Office installation created by Crosby Studios

The brand’s founder Gaëlle Drevet and Crosby Studios creative director Harry Nuriev met at his studio, talked for 2.5 hours and decided to work together.

The resulting installation occupies a trapezoidal building on Sunset Boulevard wrapped in metallic film on all sides.

Equipment like printers, office chairs and water coolers arranged around a room — Equipment like printers, office chairs and water coolers were arranged around the perimeter of the space

Inside, the warehouse-like space features a long table also covered in a reflective material, with matching cube-shaped stools set along either side.

Articulated desk lamps, microphones and bottles of water were arranged on the table as if set up for delegates at a convention.

Metallic table with water bottles and microphones on top — The central table featured microphones and water bottles as if set up for a meeting

Around the perimeter, Nuriev placed recycled office equipment, such as a large printer, a stack of binders and a pile of plastic-wrapped office chairs.

A row of water coolers was lined up along one end of the room, encircled with glowing light boxes to create sharp silhouettes of the equipment in front.

Pile of office chairs silhouetted against a bright light box — Light boxes that encircle the space create sharp silhouettes of the office furniture placed in front

“It’s not really about the office, it’s more about what happens after the office,” Nuriev told Dezeen. “I was thinking it’s time to officially move on from the office and consider the future. However, in this project, we’re uncertain about what the future holds exactly.”

A selection of apparel by The Frankie Shop is interspersed among the vignettes, while a “storage” area in the back serves as a fitting room.

Plastic-wrapped silver furniture — Some of the furniture is plastic-wrapped, appearing as though just installed or ready to be shipped away

Together, the industrial style of the building, the silvery materials, the lighting and the equipment served to highlight the brand’s reinterpretation of businesswear.

“The pop-up design blends a dynamic combination of fashion and nostalgia, where the power suits of the past seamlessly align with the modern attitude of The Frankie Shop,” said the team.

Metallics are commonplace in Nuriev’s interior projects, appearing prominently in a Berlin jewellery store, a Moscow restaurant and his own New York apartment amongst others.

However, he is vague about the reasons or intentionality behind this recurring theme.

Exterior of a building on Sunset Boulevard covered in reflective film — The exterior of the building on Sunset Boulevard is also covered in reflective film

“I don’t really think about ‘why’; it’s just my instincts, and I prefer to follow my feelings,” said Nuriev. “For this project, I had a vision of silver, and I think it works perfectly.”

Originally from Russia, the designer founded Crosby Studios in 2014 and is now based between New York and Paris.

Zoomed out view of The Frankie Shop building in LA — The month-long installation marks The Frankie Shop’s first presence in LA and was timed to coincide with the city’s art week

He recently completed the interiors for New York nightclub Silencio, based on the original location in Paris designed by film director David Lynch.

Nuriev frequently collaborates with fashion brands, on projects ranging from a virtual sofa upholstered with green Nike jackets to a transparent vinyl couch filled with old Balenciaga clothing.

The photography is by Josh Cho.

The Office is on show in Los Angeles from 23 February to 24 March. For more events, talks and exhibitions in architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide.

Reference

Interior Design

Gensler redesigns its own LA office to have “warmth and comfort” of home

By Zarkon Group,02/03/2024

The team at global architecture firm Gensler’s Los Angeles office has redesigned a floor of its workspace with a hospitality approach, as a pilot for the remaining spaces.

The Gensler LA team’s renovated its space to give it more of the “warmth and comfort” that its staff became used to during its time working from home.

Workspace in the Gensler LA office with a banquette around a black circular table — The team at Gensler LA redesigned the third floor of their offices to better suit their current workplace needs

The studio’s return to the office post-pandemic came seven years into a 15-year lease of its spaces in Downtown Los Angeles, the firm had converted from an empty bank building in 2011 then expanded to two floors in an adjacent, connected structure.

With a growing workforce and a desire to rethink the layout, functionality and appearance of the office, a group of the studio’s “next generation” of designers and strategists led an effort to redesign the interiors of the third floor.

Open shelving with colourful books displayed — The pilot project incorporates several products from Gensler collaborations, including open shelving and communal tables

“The look and feel of our space, though contemporary, lacked the warmth and comfort of the hospitality touches we integrate for our clients’ workspaces and that we had become accustomed to while working from home,” Gensler senior strategist Sarah Koos told Dezeen.

“Coupled with the changing nature of hybrid work, the space necessitated a transformation that would support a renewed sense of a work-lifestyle.”

Communal table in wood-lined room — A warm aesthetic that captures the essence of Los Angeles was chosen for the interiors

The group spent a year listening and learning from surveys, workshops and feedback sessions in which each of the 500-plus employees was able to have a say about their future work environment.

Many team members had been highly mobile even before hybrid working became popular, so the previous dedicated desk system seemed redundant.

“Working from home for two years effectively rewired peoples’ expectations of their work environments, a sterile, single-use corporate office no longer spoke to the warmth, variety, and comfort they were afforded in their own homes,” said Koos.

Lounge area with comfy seating, plants and a guitar — Plenty of lounge areas with comfy seating were created for employees to use

They therefore set about redesigning the offices with a focus on flexibility, communal work areas and presentation spaces.

“Rather than confine our designers to a desk or a conference room, we developed a kit-of-parts inclusive of typical sit-stand workstations, communal tables, focus pods, booths, material layout islands, and more,” said Gensler senior designer Kirk Bairian.

“Gensler is built on a studio system which is critical to our design culture, and each studio was able to use this kit-of-parts to customise their space to reflect the specific ways in which they work.”

Workspace with glass meeting room, privacy booth and shelving for pin-ups — The team devised a “kit of parts” for the different studios to customise their own workspaces

A warm, hospitality-forward aesthetic that mirrors the “informal but elevated, casual but curated” essence of Los Angeles was chosen.

Materials including maple plywood, blackened metal and subtle textiles provide a backdrop for more colourful additions in the form of ever-changing pin-up display boards, styled shelving, artwork by local students and books from local creative businesses.

Lounge-style furniture and jewel-toned textiles are placed in the co-working areas to evoke a hotel lobby or coffee shop vibe.

Several of Gensler’s furniture and fixture collaborations were also introduced, among them the communal tables and open shelcves from a product line created with Fantoni and custom focus pods from a partnership with Tangram’s Studio Other.

Conference room behind glass wall — Traditional conference rooms are available alongside more flexible spaces for group work

Since the project completed in 2023, the data from badges suggest that employee office attendance has increased by 35 per cent for the studios located in the renovated pilot space, according to the firm.

“Studios in the new space shared that they felt that working in the renovated space made them more productive, enabled more effective collaboration, and overall, greatly improved their in-office experience,” the team added.

Wood-lined workspace with private booths and open Zoom areas — Maple plywood and blackened metal were among the materials chosen to give the space more of a hospitality feel

Gensler is the world’s largest architecture firm and has locations 53 locations globally. Its European head offices in Wapping, London, was longlisted in the business building category of Dezeen Awards 2020.

In 2022, co-CEO Andy Cohen told Dezeen in an exclusive interview that architecture should abandon “top-down” management to improve working conditions.

Reference

Interior Design

Standard Architecture refreshes interior of pink Paul Smith store in LA

By Zarkon Group,03/02/2024

British fashion label Paul Smith’s iconic pink store in Los Angeles has received an interior makeover from Standard Architecture.

Standard Architecture collaborated with the Paul Smith design team to reimagine the 4,740-square-foot (440 square metres) store on Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood.

Paul Smith LA store interior is stone-clad partitions and exposed rafters — Standard Architecture and the Paul Smith team reorganised the LA store to better define the brand’s different collections

The studios also created a new VIP entrance patio for the building, which is notorious for its bright pink exterior that has become a pilgrimage spot for amateur photoshoots.

“The primary goal was to enhance the overall customer experience within the store, which was achieved by creating a more cohesive and immersive shopping environment across the different brand departments,” said Standard Architecture.

Seating area with clothing displays on either side — Stone-clad partitions help to define areas, but don’t reach the exposed timber ceiling

The entrance to the store – the only opening in the giant pink wall that faces the parking lot – leads shoppers through a glossy red metal vestibule into the main retail space.

Clearly defined yet interconnected areas for the menswear, womenswear and homeware collections help with navigation around the store.

Suits displayed in colour order on long brass rails — Long brass rails are used to present tailoring

Partitions clad in dappled beige stone frame these zones, but don’t reach the exposed timber ceiling, to retain the sense of openness.

In places, the stone walls are inlaid with mosaic-style artworks depicting abstract flora, which add splashes of colour to the warm-toned surfaces.

Paul Smith homeware collaborations displayed in a corner of the store — Paul Smith’s collaborations with Gufram and Anglepoise are among the pieces on show

Black track lighting is suspended from the rafters, spotlighting the various clothing displays and lounge areas furnished with midcentury-style sofas and armchairs that are dotted around the store.

Long brass rails that appear to be suspended in midair are used to display suit jackets, which are carefully arranged by colour.

Shoes presented on stepped white ledges that resemble bleacher seating — Shoes are presented on stepped white ledges that resemble bleacher seating

In an area dedicated to accessories, the shoes and bags are lined up on stepped white ledges that resemble bleacher seating.

Walnut is used for accents including shelving, door frames, and podiums, as well as for a large open storage system with compartments for presenting individual products and a row of sculptures by Alexander Calder.

Founded by fashion designer Paul Smith in 1970, his eponymous brand is synonymous with the brightly coloured stripes applied to many of its apparel products and other collaborations.

Many of these appear throughout the store, including a colour-tinted Anglepoise desk lamp and a striped version of Gufram’s cactus-shaped coat stand.

Glossy red metal vestibule with store interior beyond — Entry to the store is via a vestibule wrapped in glossy red metal

“Overall, the design reflects a deep understanding of the brand’s identity, which places a strong emphasis on the use of colour and attention to detail,” Standard Architecture said.

Paul Smith retail spaces around the world are equally playful. On London’s Albemarle Street, its boutique has a patterned cast-iron facade by 6a Architects, while the shop in Seoul is encased in a curving concrete shell by System Lab.

Bright pink exterior of Paul Smith store on Melrose Avenue — The store on Melrose Avenue is an icon in Los Angeles thanks to its bright pink facades

Standard Architecture was founded by Silvia Kuhle and Jeffrey Allsbrook, who discussed their work with Dezeen during our Virtual Design Festival in 2020.

Past projects by the firm include a Hollywood Hills residence with a cantilevered swimming pool and a minimal showroom for fashion brand Helmut Lang – which was located just a few blocks from the Paul Smith store before it shuttered.

The photography is by Genevieve Garruppo.

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Interior Design

Lovers Unite revives interiors of mid-century Silver Lake home

By Zarkon Group,28/01/2024

California design studio Lovers Unite has reinvigorated a 1950s home with sweeping views of the Los Angeles hills, turning an unused balcony into an extension of the indoor social space.

The wooden dwelling in LA’s Silver Lake neighbourhood belongs to production designer James Chinlund and artist Clare Crespo.

Wood-lined room with dining table and six chairs — Lovers Unite renovated the home for a creative couple in Los Angeles

A “previously a boring, nondescript mid-century house”, according to Lovers Unite, the property required some imagination to bring its interiors up to par with its setting.

Therefore, the studio “introduced a few carefully plotted architectural interventions and material shifts to completely reimagine the interior of the home and take full advantage of its prime site”.

Dining room with large windows that have a view of hills in the distance — The house has expansive views over the city’s hills

The most impactful of these interventions was to bring an underutilised balcony at the back of the house into the envelope, extending the open-plan living and dining area by several feet.

Beneath the large windows that were installed to fill the gap, Lovers Unite placed built-in seating with teal-upholstered cushions for relaxing and enjoying the panoramic vista.

View of wood-lined kitchen with a peninsula in the foreground — Plenty of wood was used throughout the home, particularly in the kitchen

“With a large window wall and generous built-in banquette, the room finally celebrates the expansive views that had always been there,” the studio said.

In the kitchen, dark green soapstone used for counters and the backsplash contrasts with the honey-toned cabinetry, and a shiny copper range hood matches a panel installed at the back of a bar area on the opposite side of the room.

Honey-toned wood kitchen with soapstone surfaces and a copper range hood — The honey-toned wood contrasts with soapstone surfaces and a copper range hood

Elsewhere, colourful furnishings, collectible design pieces and bold artworks stand out against the predominantly wood interiors.

A timber-lined lounge area features the classic modular Togo sofa system by Michael Ducaroy, which is wrapped in yellow corduroy fabric.

Meanwhile, in the den, a purple armchair is positioned beside a giant chair that Chinlund used as a prop for a shoot by Italian fashion outfit Roberto Cavalli.

Wood slats were employed to partially screen the staircase opening on the upper level, next to a central fireplace with a raised hearth.

Teal-upholstered window seat with a reading nook at the end — As part of the renovation, an unused balcony was incorporated into the social space and a long window seat was installed in its place

Other decor items like vintage rugs, embroidered cushions and plenty of art and design books add even more character to the spaces.

“Ultimately, the mood of the home reflects the spirit and talents of the estimable homeowner,” said Lovers Unite, noting that Chinlund has worked as a production designer for the Avengers movie franchise.

Den with a purple armchair and an oversized chair with a disco ball on its seat — Colourful furniture and set props are scattered through the different rooms

Silver Lake is home to a variety of architectural gems, many built on dramatically sloping sites, including residences designed by notable mid-century architects like Richard Neutra and Rudolph Schindler.

Led by Karen Spector and Alan Koch, Lovers Unite is based close to the neighbourhood, and has previously wrapped a bar and restaurant in Pasadena with expressive drapery.

The photography is by Chris Mottalini.

Reference

Interior Design

Cafe Kitsuné Los Angeles features Parisian interiors with “Japanese twist”

By Zarkon Group,27/01/2024

Paris-based lifestyle brand Kitsuné has opened a cafe next to its boutique in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, both with minimalist interiors featuring white oak and stainless steel.

The interiors of the new Cafe Kitsuné and the renovated Maison Kitsuné store were designed by co-founder Masaya Kuroki to reflect the brand’s French-Japanese culture as well as the West Coast setting.

Cafe interior with white oak tables, burnt orange seats and a wall mural — The Cafe Kitsuné interior includes a mural by Jeffrey Sinich that imagines the space as an old-school market

Facing Sunset Boulevard on the east side of the city, this is the brand’s fourth cafe in North America – following locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Vancouver – and its first in LA.

“A sprawling city of diverse findings, from cutting-edge restaurants to pockets of art and architecture second to none, LA has lent design inspiration and a backdrop to several campaigns for the fashion house,” said the Kitsuné team.

White oak counter front with stainless steel panels behind — White oak tables and surfaces are set against stainless steel counters and panelling for a minimalist look

“Now, it’s the perfect setting for Café Kitsuné, a physical extension of the brand’s Franco-Japanese DNA, and reinvention of the classic Parisian cafe and wine bar experience with a Japanese twist,” they added.

The building’s red-tile exterior and poured concrete flooring were preserved, and hand-painted signage by Californian artist Jeffrey Sincich was added over the large street-facing windows.

Burnt orange dining chairs and upholstered benches highlight the colours of the mural

Inside the 700-square-foot (65-square-metre) cafe, white oak tables and brushed stainless-steel counters feature alongside burnt orange dining chairs and upholstered benches.

Another Sincich mural covers the full length of a wall, offering “a whimsical take on Café Kitsuné’s standard appearance” and presenting the space as an “old-school market”.

A speaker system by Japanese audio company Rotel was installed in the cafe “to provide a top-notch sound experience for customers”, according to Kitsuné.

Next door in the boutique, a similar material palette is used for elements including a built-in storage and display unit across the back wall.

Maison Kitsuné boutique with oak panelling and bright blue central table — The existing Maison Kitsuné boutique next door has also received a refresh

White oak forms the framing, shelves and doors that lead to the stock and fitting rooms, while ribbed stainless-steel sheets provide a backdrop for the items on show.

More oak was used for the minimalist service counter and panelling behind, and a bright blue table sits in the centre to add a pop of colour.

White oak built-in shelving display for clothing, with bent metal chair in front — White oak and stainless steel are repeated in this space to create a visual connection with the cafe

Kitsuné was founded by 2002 by Kuroki and Gildas Loaëc and encompasses the fashion brand, Maison Kitsuné; a music label, Kitsuné Musique; and its line of cafes, bars and restaurants.

Back in 2017, French designer Mathieu Lehanneur designed the Kitsuné store interior in New York’s Soho, adding snaking metal rails for displaying garments.

The photography is by David Kitz.

Reference

Interior Design

Jialun Xiong creates intricate Sichuanese restaurant in LA

By Zarkon Group,14/01/2024

Subtle nods to traditional Chinese architecture can be found throughout this restaurant in California, designed by LA-based Jialun Xiong.

Sichuan Impression‘s third outpost, located in Alhambra, occupies a 2,000-square-foot (186-square-metre) space that “takes an elegantly pared-down approach to family-style dining”.

Restaurant interior with a pared-back palette — Jialun Xiong chose a pared-back palette for the Sichuan Impression interiors, creating a relaxed atmosphere

Jialun Xiong took an equally relaxed approach to the interiors, combining warm and soft colours with walnut furniture and metal accents.

“For Sichuan Impression, I chose a muted palette and natural materials to encourage guests to look a little longer and see the intricacies and textures that aren’t so obvious at first glance,” said Xiong.

A free-seating area beside a bar featuring walnut furniture and floating metal cabinets — A free-seating area beside the bar features walnut furniture and floating metal cabinets

The restaurant is roughly divided into four dining areas, each open to one another but defined by the style of seating.

To the left of the entrance is a sequence of partitions that alternate between heavy grey plaster and delicate metal mesh screens supported by antique brass frames.

Plaster partition separating different sections of the restaurant — Plaster partitions separate the various sections of the restaurant

Each has a circular opening, which align to provide a continuous view along the minimalist walnut tables and benches that run along the same axis.

One table extends through an opening, accommodating larger parties when needed, and each compartment features an oversized, raw silk cloth light shade suspended above.

Restaurant interior with walls and screens of different heights and thickness — Walls and screens of different heights and thickness create a hierarchy of spaces

“The custom chandeliers nod to traditional Chinese lanterns and reflect Xiong’s skeletal furniture designs,” said the restaurant team.

In front of the bar is a free-seating space furnished with more wooden tables and chairs, which match the cabinetry against the far wall, while glass-fronted metal cabinets are mounted above.

A pair of chunky plaster-wrapped columns and low partitions separate a collection of booths with leather seats and upholstered cushioned backs on the other side.

The green fabric was chosen to resemble bamboo – a common material used in Sichuanese design.

Two rows of booth seating either side of a walkway — Booth seating is upholstered with a green fabric chosen to evoke bamboo

At the back of the restaurant is the private dining area, which can accommodate 16 guests altogether, or two groups of eight when a sliding partition is closed.

A circular window offers a glimpse into the private space, where the pared-back material palette is continued.

Private dining room with an intimate feel — A private dining room at the back has an intimate feel and can be spied through a circular window

“The secluded space is designed to feel like home with its bespoke circular dining table and ambient lighting,” said Xiong. “I believe good design doesn’t always have to be instantly recognisable, it can simply blend in.”

Xiong, who is originally from Chongqing, has also completed the retro-futuristic Chinese restaurant 19 Town close to Downtown LA. The designer recently showed her furniture and lighting pieces as part of the INTRO/LA showcase in November 2023, and at the Alcova exhibition during Art Basel in Miami in December.

Reference

Interior Design

PlayLab Inc centres “space for conversation” in Los Angeles retail store

By Zarkon Group,03/01/2024

LA studio PlayLab Inc has created a flagship store that contains a sky blue conversation pit at its centre for local clothing brand MadHappy.

PlayLab Inc split the West Hollywood store into two distinct zones – one for retail space and the other for “intimate gathering spaces”, including a cafe and a courtyard.

a retail store in LA with large windows — PlayLab Inc has created a flagship store for LA clothing brand MadHappy

“Our collective goal with the design was to put space for conversation at the heart of the retail experience, creating a place that is equal parts for community dialogue and product,” PlayLab Inc co-founder Jeff Franklin told Dezeen.

“To do this we split the space down the middle, making one half a clear utility for shopping and the other a collection of intimate gathering spaces.”

a conversation pit made of light blue seating — The space was divided into separate zones for gathering and retail

Visitors enter the 2,800-square-foot (260-square-metre) store through a glass facade, which leads into a large open space with powder blue concrete flooring running throughout.

At the entrance, a blue bench emerges from a small exterior porch, while a boulder sits opposite.

a courtyard with large sliding glass doors and various stools — A cafe and courtyard were placed at the back of the store

Towards one side, the store contains a 70’s style conversation pit underneath a large skylight. Plush, sky-blue couches line the seating area, with satin aluminium side tables by Berlin-based studio New Tendency placed alongside them.

Along an adjacent limewashed wall, the studio installed built-in shelving flanked by large custom wooden speakers by New York music studio designer Danny Keith Taylor of House Under Magic.

small light green stools and tree with blue floor — The courtyard was populated with a single tree and green-stained plywood stools by Waka Waka

The social area leads into a small open-air courtyard populated by a single Tree Aloe installed by Cactus Store and green-stained plywood stools by LA studio Waka Waka.

The same green plywood was used to line the takeout window of the store’s Pantry cafe, which sits in an enclosed corner and serves local and global cuisines from brands including Japanese-based café Hotel Drugs and LA bakery Courage Bagels.

a cafe space in a retail store — Custom signage was installed along the cafe’s takeout window

A custom lightbox and a large standing menu were installed next to the takeout window to display the cafe’s signage and goods.

In the remaining interior, PlayLab Inc created a large metallic “retail bar” that spans the shop’s length for “open views of the product”, according to Franklin. The studio also dispersed custom Lego-like benches around the space, which were covered in a candy apple red gloss.

an illuminated cube sign — The store will act as a retail space and venue

Faux-stone stools and a bench were installed throughout the space.

The store also contains a multimedia room, called the Local Optimist Space, a creative venue that will host audio and visual artwork.

“The design was inspired by the concept of conversation between things – a balance of scales, materials and textures,” said Franklin.

This is the first flagship store for the clothing brand MadHappy, which previously operated from a host of pop-up concepts and stores.

wooden speakers — Local designers worked on furniture and other pieces for the store

“From the beginning, physical retail has been essential to Madhappy and its success. We’ve always viewed our shops as spaces that go beyond something purely transactional – we want them to allow our community to engage with Madhappy beyond what’s possible digitally,” MadHappy co-founder Mason Spector said in a statement.

Other recent projects by PlayLab Inc also include a plexiglass skatepark for Vans and a lifesize toy racetrack set for a Louis Vuitton menswear show.

The photography is by Sean Davidson.

Reference

los angeles

Apparatus updates Los Angeles showroom to include a “modernist grotto”

Crosby Studios creates office-themed installation for The Frankie Shop

Gensler redesigns its own LA office to have “warmth and comfort” of home

Standard Architecture refreshes interior of pink Paul Smith store in LA

Lovers Unite revives interiors of mid-century Silver Lake home

Cafe Kitsuné Los Angeles features Parisian interiors with “Japanese twist”

Jialun Xiong creates intricate Sichuanese restaurant in LA

PlayLab Inc centres “space for conversation” in Los Angeles retail store

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