Krueger Architects is working on a new commercial retail project on Melrose. We are exploring the aesthetic of old-world Roman architecture for a boutique storefront.
Using stone and marble work we are creating a space with rich details and quality craftsmanship. We’re also using new-world construction techniques to recreate the style and lines of this type of architecture. For example, we are creating a domed ceiling made of molded fiberglass. Light-weight, yet strong and rigid, the ceiling is the focal point of this bespoke, custom space.
The store is being built for an internationally recognized proprietor. This will be their first U.S. location and they’ve selected a posh spot on Melrose in West Hollywood to make their debut.
Understanding Residential Versus Commercial Architecture in Los Angeles
Although our firm tends to specialize in custom residential, we enjoy both. Being able to float between the two allows us the freedom to try out different ideas and to learn from the experience and bring that knowledge back into the other field. Commercial tends to have tighter deadlines, which makes you execute with laser focus. You’ve gotta get it right the first time. You can make changes, but the consequences are bigger–the financial motivations is greater in commercial spaces whereas clients have more emotional connection to their homes and tend to make decisions for different reasons. The scale of commercial is also different and you are working on different types of spaces, eg. display space for merchandise. However, with retail leaning more toward experiential versus straight transactional, there are elements of a residential living space that fit perfectly into a commercial space. Conversely, the techniques we’ve learned when doing commercial merchandise spaces have applications in residential–consider dressing room lighting and display cases along with custom closet systems that have made their way into residential.
There is one key element that is different between residential and commercial–who gets to see the results. In commercial, your work is very public and can be enjoyed by many, versus what is often the very private and personal nature of residential luxury architecture. The challenges and rewards may be different, but we enjoy the creative endeavors of both types of spaces with the results speaking for themselves.
