ORA Los Angeles designed the Golden Guardians office in Playa Vista as a contemporary esports facility that prioritizes natural light, wellness and a warm and welcoming environment while promoting teamwork, agility and playfulness.
ORA Los Angeles has redefined what a modern esports venue looks like in its design. golden guardianWe have offices in Playa Vista, California.
This new headquarters for Golden Guardians will bring together two distinct user groups: esports players and creators. A fresh new perspective on the space was required to set it apart from its competitors (those who lean towards a modern “technical” aesthetic).
The programming phase by both user groups defined the project’s needs, capabilities, and key adjacencies. A series of interconnected “neighborhoods” for work and practice are centered around the space, taking advantage of natural light and views of Barona Creek. These are connected to a common open area via ‘laneway’ housing support spaces where acoustic isolation is required. Located at a nearby intersection. The open area is conceived as a “courtyard” where the community gathers. These flexible spaces not only accommodate events and tournaments, but also provide areas for dining, relaxing, and collaborating. A state-of-the-art flexible black-box studio at the center of the space will be used for recording digital content, photography, VR and workshops.
Ditching the cold and tech-driven standards, our designs focus on natural light and wellness. Wellness is prioritized by strategically placing spaces to encourage walking, designing the kitchen to visually connect with healthy meals and snacks, and adding an exercise area, massage room, and outdoor courtyard with basketball hoop. The finishes and furnishings were selected with a hospitality perspective and combined with the company’s branding to create a warm and welcoming environment that creates a unique and distinctive venue.
Designed to reflect the values that teams represent, the space celebrates the future of work – teamwork, integrity, agility and playfulness – creating a holistic and healthy environment where users can come together to work and play.
design: ORA Los Angeles
lead designer: Oona Ryan
Contractor: Corporate contractor
photograph: Eric Staudenmeyer
