Showrooms, workspaces, libraries, prototyping and design studios – the Puma Studio in Los Angeles by local studio West of West corrals every aspect of the brand’s creative merchandising under one roof. And it does so with vibrancy, energy and style, indoors and out.
From the exterior, the 1,860-square-metre West Hollywood building comprises multiple volumes that come together in a stepped profile with indoor and outdoor workspaces on every level, and planted terraces on the north and south facades. An exterior stair links the plaza on the ground with all four floors.
Inside, the interiors continue this sense of dynamism. Guided by three principles – creation, connection and culture – the spaces are manifested in a palette that is, in turns, punchy and sophisticated. Hardy materials like wood, glass and matte aluminum are balanced by soft curtains and stained surfaces. And the Puma logo abounds every so often, in tasteful and fun ways.
The space with the most public visibility, the showroom was “envisioned as a luminous gallery;” here, polished concrete floors, mirrored panels, and translucent screens that artistically frame products make for a bright and friendly atmosphere. The other spaces, by contrast, are moodier in their darker tones. The library features forest-green velvet as a main accent and the boardroom is lined in dark plaster walls and anchored by a massive cast-resin table, while the kitchen and social hub have natural oak casework and matte aluminum counters.
But the most fascinating interior by far belongs to a to an in-house creative hub dubbed STUDIO48, which is outfitted with both high- and low-tech equipment and materials for new experiments in merchandizing and marketing. This is where designers do their live sketching, marketers stage their presentations, and other brand creatives test out their ideas.
The atelier features a “full footwear and apparel material library, large and small scale printing, an array of sewing machines, moveable pin-up walls, and moveable photoshoot ready backdrops.” A humidity- controlled zone within houses 3D printing machines, a laser cutter, and a spray room that is vented and insulated, among other amenities.
Tying all these spaces together is a sculptural stair, which, complementing its exterior counterpart, forms the connective tissue for the massive hub. “Conceived as a ribbon of fabric unfurling through the building, the stair winds upward with fluid motion,” the designers say. “Crafted entirely from wood, the stair stages encounters, frames views across levels, and reinforces the studio’s spirit of a collaborative environment in constant motion.”
Puma’s Hybrid Hub in Los Angeles Has It All
Rising four stories in West Hollywood, Puma Studio is an all-in-one brand experience with a vibrant spirit and sophisticated sheen.