Inspired by the idea to create an office that would function as an art gallery, SD Design Studio adapted this space into a hybrid architecture of industrial and modern styles. Located in La Jolla, California, this office is nestled in a building from the 1960s with exceptional all-oriented views of the Pacific Ocean. The aim was to design an atmosphere of creative freedom and spatial flexibility.

The architectural program unfolds from a transitional space that through intended materials, offers a sense of discovery where the eye is conditioned to observe a vast collection of art; photographs, paintings, and furniture. The space is complimented by a highly curated collection of artist’s works, such as Fernanda Gomes, Gabriel Orozco, Pierro Lissoni, Herman Miller, and Naoto Fukazawa exuding a timeless classic taste perfectly suited for this project. This space plays home to a series of areas, such as an open kitchen, workstations, a conference room, private offices, and a private lounge. For this purpose, transparent views are prioritized with the use of glass to achieve an open space in which everything is in visual contact and views are capitalized.

The carefully curated materials were selected to play a fundamental role in the overall design. The use of wood, stone, and white walls, in addition to preserving and showcasing the original structural elements, such as columns and beams, are used in combination with one another giving an elegant and monochromatic style. Lightning fixtures were not only meticulously picked to compliment the space, but also to highlight and enhance the art collection it displays. This project focuses on creating a common string to achieve a relationship between art and the creative-formal process that an office requires.

Project Team:

Architecture & Interior Design: SD Design Studio in Collaboration with Rush CS

Lighting Design: Elluminet (Midory Esquer, Assoc. IALD)

MEP: ELEN Consulting

Photography: Samantha Goh Photography