Project Description
The design by Abramson Teiger Architects for the 47 room TCH boutique hotel in downtown Los Angeles weaves the nature of the temporal society with the evolving art world. The art gallery becomes a backdrop to viewed experiences. The hotel becomes a backdrop to the guests. They are both fortresses of collections: a collection of art and a collection of people. Art within hotels has typically been secondary. This design makes art primary in a number of instances: by developing exterior artistic perforated panels; by housing artist residences; by turning public spaces into small galleries. The exterior is clad in Cor-ten steel because of its ability to be sculpted. It is a material that serves both artistic expression and architectural function. A series of perforated panels, within the solid skin, depict pixilated skulls. The skulls represent a tension between the skin (exterior) and the brain (interior). They house the “eyes” of the viewer. Light passing through these perforations (eyes) is visible inside during the day and outside at night. Additional tension is created through the juxtaposition of materials, the placement of windows and the geometry of volumes. Interior spaces are filled with materials and textures that have moments of tension but get quiet when they serve as a backdrop for the art. All spaces within activate as a gallery. The building activates as an art piece.
Abramson Teiger Architects design philosophy integrates light and air within structured spaces of material and form. They focus on the simplicity of mass and allow materials to govern. The result is visually dynamic architecture which evokes a sense of peace, sanctuary, and productivity.