Tag front was commissioned
to design the top floor of a building in downtown Los Angeles.
The location was to have two distinct yet cohesive spaces dividing the
space - a Japanese restaurant, Takami and a lounge, Elevate.
With limited design
direction, the Tag Front team set out to create two unique contemporary spaces
that complimented one another while taking advantage of the remarkable view of
downtown Los Angeles provided by the location.
Much of this was
accomplished by the use of glass walls separating interior and exterior spaces
where walls were needed, and with the use of a system of pocket doors neatly
tucked into steel paneled volumes. The
connection between interior and exterior was successfully blurred to create one
cohesive space allowing the feeling of being outside. Much of the view was preserved and the space
successfully has panoramic views from virtually every seat.
To gain access to the
space elevators are available from the lobby to the top floor. The elevator foyer allows entrance to either
space. In one direction is Takami with
its entrance marked by a wall made of Japanese kimono-fabric panels which leads
to the host/hostess stand.
Beyond the
host/hostess stand is the restaurant bar.
With a wood-slat ceiling and a glass wine room, it features
Japanese-fabric panels on the bar front with end-grain mesquite top. Behind the bar is a back-lit aluminum wall
with random circular holes and a patina finish.
Lounge seating is provided by a jakara root table with monkey stools.
The main dining area
features custom furniture with a sushi and robata bar. The sushi and robata bars are separated by a
back-lit aluminum volume with a random circular hole pattern and a patina
finsih. Capping both ends of the bar is
an interior lit natural-reed laminated glass.
On the other side of
the top floor is the lounge ? Elevate.
Entry to the lounge is made from the elevator foyer. It features a wood panel wall that leads to a
sculptural installation reminiscent of falling leaves. Bent resin pieces or ?leaves? randomly hang
on steel cables that are attached to the ceiling and terminate inside holes on
a hot-rolled steel plate creating a floating effect.
As with the
restaurant, there is a seamless movement between the indoor and outdoor
space. Walls were minimized with the use
of a pocket-door system that allows much of the space to feel as if the roof
floats overhead. Glass panel doors tuck
away and are hidden inside ceramic tile panels with a rusty steel finish.
The main bar is made
of mesquite planks with stainless steel inlays.
The back bar features dark mosaic bizazza tiles which compliment the
glass tile detail on the bar. The ceiling is made of cubes of varying heights
in blue hues with custom light fixtures that protrude within the cubes.
The dance floor has a
raised area for private seating.
Graphics-covered glass encloses three sides of the private seating areas
while remaining open to the dance floor.
On one end of the dance area is the all-glass dj booth with similar
graphics and on the other end is the secondary bar.
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