Nadel’s L.A. Headquarters Prioritizes Outdoor Space And Community-Building

2024 Best of Year Winner for Small Creative Office

To become a suitable headquarters for Los Angeles brand-merchandising and-experience company Nadel, which counts Google and Mac Cosmetics among its clients, the parking lot-surrounded, 1979 concrete tilt-up needed a total makeover. Once disjointed, aging, and suffering from minimal natural light, the 18,500-square-foot interiors by Standard Architecture | Design are now defined by statement-making, double-height spaces wrapped in warm, engineered-wood slats, flexible furnishings in open and closed office areas, and soft illumination via new skylights and strategic fenestration. The elliptical employee lounge is a standout: With its built-in ash bench, Hlynur Atlason swivel chairs, custom pendant fixtures, and 15-foot-tall slatted walls, it shares sight lines with the mezzanine above. Douglas-fir plywood and laminated veneer paneling, natural fiber carpet, salvaged lumber, and reuse of the existing concrete flooring help with lower carbon emissions. Along the street-facing elevation are four new patios surrounded by perforated, painted metal screens, existing palm trees, and drought-tolerant landscaping, resulting in places for community-building in the sunshine.

PROJECT TEAM: SILVIA KUHL; JEFFREY ALLSBROOK; TRACY BREMER; HELENA MELGAR.