The Art Room

Los Angeles, California

Hospitality, Office

7,750 sq. ft.

This multi-use development is all about creative collaboration. The challenge was in re-thinking how an all-day café, gallery and office could be configured for a diverse range of people including artists, designers, musicians, architects, chefs, baristas, mixologists, photographers, and performers. The design focuses on achieving maximum flexibility and creating a place for people to come together. At the entrance a moveable kinetic façade -- an operable three-part custom aluminum screen -- creates a physical connection and represents a symbiotic relationship between the café, the gallery, and the design studio. The façade both identifies and secures the building with four possible configurations, allowing users to control natural light and ventilation to create a light-filled studio, live entertainment venue, culinary experimentation space, and more. Throughout the building, existing historical elements are juxtaposed against walnut wall and ceiling panels to unify interior spaces. AUX Architecture’s office is a 3,250 square foot space that preserves the original warm red brick walls and features an open desk plan as well as private conference and meeting rooms, a kitchenette/lounge. SeasonsLA is housed in a pair of galleries totaling 1,000 sq. ft. at the building’s core, designed with skylights and glass that fill the spaces with light and air. The Art Room café and bar is a 3,500 square foot day-to-night café that showcases original warm red brick walls, features a 50-foot long stained walnut bar that seats 14, flexible indoor and outdoor seating for 40, and a bespoke art installation consisting of 150 glass bottles hung in an undulating rhythm of waves at the back of the bar.

Complete, 2022

Brian Wickersham (Principal-in-Charge), Matthew Aulicino, Elizabeth Pritchett, Burcin Nalinci, Taylor Nunes-Agins, Louie Bofill, Matthew McFetrick, Anabelle Arias, Chris Driscoll, Liu Qiao

Operable wall system by PanoramAH!, Structural Engineer - Nous Engineering, General Contractor - Bluestone

Manolo Langis, Ed Mumford

Metropolis Magazine, Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, Back of House, Restaurant Hospitality, Zagat Stories, What Now Los Angeles, Thrillist, Eater.com (Jan. 2022), Archinect, AIA Los Angeles, Eater.com (Oct. 2021)

2021 AIA LA Restaurant Design Award, 2020 AIA San Fernando Valley Design Award