HKS has been appointed architect for h.Club LA, the first global extension of London’s Hospital Club, established in 2004 by philanthropist and entrepreneur Paul G. Allen as a private “club for creatives.” The international firm collaborated with Hospital Club designer Russell Sage on the project, which is set to open in early 2018 within the city’s Redbury Hollywood hotel.
“We looked at several properties in the area, but as soon as we walked into the Redbury we immediately realized the great potential of the building,” says Luciano Mazza, director of hospitality architecture for HKS’ London studio. “Our mission became to take one icon and transform it into another but with a new, quite different feel.”
HKS will overhaul the five-story hotel, focusing on amenities and public spaces in place of guestrooms. The second and fifth floors will undergo significant alterations to make way for new offerings including a new rooftop terrace and a green pedestrian bridge to ease guest circulation from two wings of the club. Levels three and four will maintain much of their current configurations but feature an upgraded interior design. The renovation will slash the overall room count from 57 to 36 suites. The guest experience has been envisioned as a journey through each floor’s distinct narrative that culminates in the rooftop’s desert garden inspired by the English landscapes captured in the films of Derek Jarman.
The club will feature wellness facilities, three dining options, an outdoor pool deck, tearoom, music studio, screening room, bars, and co-working and live performance spaces.