wHY has released the first look for their latest cultural project in Beverly Hills, California: a new flagship space for Christie’s, the world’s leading art business. wHY transformed an existing building from its foundation, creating a sophisticated European-influenced space to reflect their brand. Christie’s engaged the firm (known for collaborating with important local cultural clients such as the CalArts and Los Angeles County Museum of Art) to design the two-story space.
Located on North Camden Drive near the corner of Wilshire Boulevard, wHY’s design enfolds the two-story space with a curtain of white aluminium, creating an elegant and timeless exterior that speaks to the history and quality of the company’s 250-year old brand.
Inside, wHY designed a grand yet flexible layout for Christie’s to host exhibitions, social events, educational programming, and live-streams of auctions taking place in Christie’s salerooms worldwide. The upstairs has been designed to include private meeting areas and offices where clients and specialists can discuss appraisals, advisory projects, or buying and selling opportunities. A 1,400 sq ft addition on the second level creates a unique open space with greenery that can double as programmable outdoor event space.
In addition to Christie’s, the firm is designing the Marciano Art Foundation in Hancock Park (opening Spring 2017), Decoding Asian Urbanism at the A+D Museum (opening in late April 2017), and Spring Place L.A. (to start construction November 2017). Other projects, such as the studio for Jonas Wood and Shio Kusaka, and the Institute of Contemporary Art Los Angeles (ICA LA) will also open this year. Other cultural projects designed by wHY include Samurai at LACMA, and the L.A. River Art Bridge. In 2015, wHY led a team that was a finalist in redesigning Pershing Square in downtown L.A.
Nick Myall
News editor
