Playa District
Los Angeles, CA
Playa District is a hub of activity located a short distance away from LAX. The campus consists of 5 buildings and is split between a North and South Campus. The South Campus is centered around a large open plaza with a range of landscaping and amenities while the North Campus is a more secluded retreat away from the busy central hub. Our goal in upgrading each of the lobby spaces was to create a hospitality like atmosphere that adapts to different programing for each location. We maintained a campus wide design language in order to unify the North and South locations. This common design thread connects each lobby and creates a seamless and cohesive experience while maintaining the unique identity and programming inherent to each individual space.
NORTH CAMPUS
SOUTH CAMPUS
NORTH CAMPUS
THE TERRACE: 6060 LOBBY
Located at the farthest end of the campus on the North side, the 6060 lobby is a lot more quiet and secluded. The main challenge of this space was its lack of activity and connectivity to the outdoors. The existing interior architecture was rigid and symmetrical and lacked the layered atmosphere that the client was looking for. We needed to find a way to program the lobby so it felt purposeful, but could also maintain its presence and not feel empty when it wasn’t being occupied.
south campus
THE HUB 6080 LOBBY
Located at the center of the Playa District campus, the lobby at 6080 quite literally acts as the hub of activity and interaction. With the adjacent parking lot there is a constant flow of foot traffic. 6080 is typically the first stop for visitors and often a moment that tenants from other buildings pass by several times each day. The plaza between 6080 and 6100 hosts a variety of events from weekly farmers markets to live performances. 6080 is the backdrop to all events on campus and a place where people can stop in to work, eat, socialize or relax. We designed the interior of this lobby and the rest of the campus to be focused around California living. It was important to blur the line between interior and exterior space so the transition from one to the other was completely seamless. The introduction of bi-fold doors allows tenants to enjoy the beautiful, temperate southern California weather nearly all year long.
The main goal was to change the traditional open lobby from a stagnant space to one that was activated throughout the day. The variety of seating options allows guests and visitors to grab coffee and work remotely at the bar-top tables, socialize during lunch breaks together or find a place of respite to take 10 minutes away from their busy day. Comfort and versatility were the main focus when space planning and selecting furniture.
south campus
THE FOYER: 6100 LOBBY
Mirrored directly across from The Hub is the Foyer at 6100. This lobby bookends the event plaza and is the location for Pepperdine University’s graduate campus. It was important that 6100 was equally engaged with the plaza while complimenting the material palette of the 6080 space. An open staircase was added to make the connection to the main Pepperdine entry more fluid for visitors. We extended the stair to allow for amphitheater seating which students can use for informal work sessions or quiet study groups. The material selection and addition of lighting and furniture is more controlled and subdued compared to it’s 6080 neighbor in order to offer a calm and comfortable environment for all students and guests.
We unified both sides of the symmetrical room with a similar material palette but programmed each side differently in order to break up the relentless symmetry. The large banquette clearly defines one side of the room and acts as the main anchor point to the space. The wall with undulating wood paneling unites both sides of the lobby while bringing warmth and movement into the space. We added a hand painted wallcovering from Porter Teleo as a backdrop tot he reception desk. Similar materials can are seen throughout the campus applied in different ways in order to create a subtle relationship between each lobby.
Design Team: Mark Motonaga, Aimee Less, Jeff Dunn, Brent Lucy, Krystal Scott, Nicole Robinson, Kelly Peoples, Todd Swanson, Romiar Karamooz, Hyunch Sung, Brent Jacobsen
Design Programs Used: Rhino, Lumion, AutoCad, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign
All architecture and interior design completed by RIOS team members. The duplication, promotion or distribution of these images without permission of RIOS is prohibited.