heartbeat
West Hollywood, California
BEST PROJECT
Sent by: HITT recruitment
Owner: heartbeat
Main design company: Design Group Studio 7
General contractor: HITT recruitment
MEP Engineer: AMA Group
Architect: BAM Creative
Construction Manager/Owner’s Representative: Raise commercial real estate
Subcontractors: pinnacle; Art Crafts Cabinets; Cabinets AM; Diamond plasterboard; Grani Facility; PDF Inc.
Formerly home to the Oprah Winfrey Network, this 40,000-square-foot West Hollywood office building now belongs to Hartbeat, the media company owned by Kevin Hart. With the change in ownership, a comprehensive renovation began to align the space with Hartbeat’s specific functional and aesthetic requirements.
Although the client had completed several residential projects, this was their first commercial office project. But the transformation effort presented several challenges, including coordinating efforts across the country and sticking to a tight six-week window to conceptualize and finalize the design. To overcome these obstacles and the accelerated schedule, the project team held weekly virtual coordination calls to foster a collaborative environment and worked on weekends and after hours.
Photo by Ryan Gobuty
The office building previously featured a more conventional architectural and design framework, with elements such as aged oak floors and warm-toned woods. The challenge was to infuse a modern aesthetic with an entirely new color palette while preserving the existing structural footprint. This preservation was essential to maintain the integrity of the general lighting, shop windows and acoustics.
A commitment to sustainable practices underscored every design decision. But time constraints also dictated the preservation of some original finishes and solutions designed to ensure sustainability while adhering to a carefully managed electrical load. The contractor also conducted more than 30 pricing exercises to evaluate different floor finish options.
The existing concrete slab was used in offices and common open areas. The original hardwood found new life in the conference rooms, enhanced with a coat of ebony stain rather than opting for a complete replacement.
The design of the office also became a canvas for cultural celebration. The art collection was carefully curated for its bold and sculptural pieces. Notable among these are Serge Attukwei Clottey’s “paintings without paint” in the fifth floor lobby, a creative reincarnation of recycled materials.
This collaborative effort led to the completion of the project within budget and ahead of schedule.
