Ahmanson Founders Room

The Ahmanson Founders Room is a 2,500 sf addition buried in the first level of subterranean parking at The Music Center in downtown Los Angeles. The sunken location of the room coupled with an almost clandestine preoccupation of exclusivity by the founders helped orient the design objectives. We developed sensual lighting schemes and unique applications of material and texture to create a warm place of respite between the congested streets of L.A. and the brimming communal areas of The Music Center on event night.

The materials used for the ceiling and walls were actually low-grade Douglas-fir lumber and medium density fiberboard. However, sculpting the ceiling panels and perforating the wall panels with supple patterns and textures transformed the material creating stunning visual effects and a welcoming space. The character and unique components of this room have become an entity for which the Ahmanson Theatre founders can identify with and claim as their own.

Status: Completed 2006

Project Type: Adaptive Re-use; Cultural; Building Type: Tenant Improvement; Size: 2,500 SF

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Partners: Hagy Belzberg, Brock DeSmit, Daniel Rentsch

Project Manager: David Cheung

Project Team: Barry Gartin, Bill Bowen, Carina Bien-WIllner, Eric Stimmel, Justin Brechtel, Warren Bradley Lang

Photo Credit: © Benny Chan, Fotoworks

Awards:
2009 Interior Beauty of Wood Design Award –Wood Works
2008 World Architecture Festival (Shortlisted)
2008 AIA California Council Award: Merit Award; 2008 AIA LA Design Award: Merit Award
2008 Los Angeles Business Council Architecture Award: Interior Commercial

Publications:
Dream Work Space: Restaurant & Bar Design (China), X Space-Stylish Restaurants (China), X Space (China), Spa-de, International Review of Interior Architecture (Japan), Vision (China), Architect’s Newspaper, Bund Magazine, Architecture & Detail (China), arcCA, FORM, Hospitality Design magazine, Azure (Canada), BOB : International Magazine of Space Design (Korea), Frame #60 (Netherlands), Future Wood Innovation in Building Design + Manufacturing