Frank Gehry and Tara Bernerd’s Conrad Los Angeles hotel opens it doors

The highly anticipated new Conrad Los Angeles has been completed and is open for business. Set in a building designed by legendary architect Frank Gehry – located opposite his iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall – and with interiors by renowned studio Tara Bernerd & Partners, this hospitality offering is the first California property for the Conrad group (one of Hilton’s three luxury hotel brands). Combining location, design, architecture, wellness and culture, the hotel is a mesmerising proposition.  The building’s sculptural forms and highly expressive composition follow the signature approach of Gehry’s past, well-known works. Meanwhile, Bernerd’s interiors take their cues from the structure’s inherent dynamism to craft spaces that feel vibrant and full of life. At the same time, the team worked with a sense of ‘timeless elegance’, they explain. ‘Working with Frank Gehry, we wanted to bring in more warmth, so we created curves and layers. The connection between indoor and outdoor has been intentional,’ says Bernerd.  Attention to detail was paramount in creating the desired effect, which walks the tightrope between characterful and functional, rich and comfortable. There is an undulating lobby ceiling that mirrors the façades’ lines; verdant outdoor areas; a bar made out of polished and glazed lava stone that is 11,000 years old; Italian Ceppo di Gré stone features; polished concrete; and artwork curated in collaboration with Judith Tatar of Tatar Art Projects.  A state-of-the-art in-house spa ensures guests are relaxed through a range of wellness programmes, including an infrared sauna, a Gharieni Welnamis wavetable, and dedicated recovery cabins. Meanwhile, food and beverage options include two signature restaurants from chef José Andrés. The building culminates in an expansive rooftop terrace and swimming pool deck, overlooking the neighbourhood’s cultural hub and downtown Los Angeles beyond, connecting visitors intrinsically to the city’s magic, as well as the warm Californian sun. ‘Conrad Los Angeles is the first urban resort of its kind, and both key to the project and an exciting yet pivotal approach was to ensure that the warmth and layers we introduced melted seamlessly into the architecture of Frank Gehry. [There are] surprises from arrival: the proximity to almost touching Walt Disney Concert Hall, the discovery of the bars, terraces and then, when you think you have seen it all, the gallery that leads out to the promenade and second bar and restaurant and sunset deck!’ says Bernerd. §
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