February 10, 2020
The St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station opened its doors to the public over Christmas, and they saw over 61,000 visitors in just the first week!
In the months leading up to the Christmas Grand Opening, Oculus worked with PGAV and the Contractors (literally) around the clock—the Grand Lobby inside the aquarium features a clock tower tank that recalls the Victorian origins of the 126-year old site. Located in a train shed built in 1894, the new aquarium is now home to otters, shark, and myriad species of both freshwater and saltwater creatures.
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January 24, 2020
If you’re a fan of the show Hell’s Kitchen, you’re in luck! Chef/host Ramsay has just opened another Hell’s Kitchen restaurant, this time in Lake Tahoe, NV at Harvey’s Hotel and Casino. Oculus was part of the design team, collaborating with architect firm DezMotif to create an immersive atmosphere reflecting the dynamic energy of the show (minus the actual yelling).
We are happy to see it come to life exactly as planned: surface-mounted monopoints and recessed wall washers enhance the restaurant’s two-tone color theme, while warm white adjustable projectors spotlight the Winner Display wall above the banquette seating. Custom pitchfork pendants work together with dueling red and blue thematic lighting to add layers of drama, which is certainly on-brand for this destination restaurant.
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December 11, 2019
Officially announced in the Los Angeles Times last month, developer GPI Cos. has acquired ownership of the former Westside Pavillion mall and is turning it into creative office spaces. GPI jumped at the opportunity to convert the aging mall since creative office space on the Westside is in high demand, especially for large tech companies looking to take root or expand near Silicon Beach. This converted indoor mall will keep its high ceilings, large floor plans and ample parking, making it very desirable for future tenants. Adding to the value for future tenants is the promise of being neighbors with Google, who has already committed to occupying a large portion of the new office space. continued→
November 18, 2019
If you’re a fan of action, then this new dark and edgy Cirque de Soleil live-action thriller R.U.N is the show for you! It recently opened at the Luxor in Las Vegas, and Oculus designed the lighting for the theater entrance and pre-show lobby that immerses guests into a gritty cyberpunk urban alleyway.
Walking through the “alley” to the theater, guests encounter an interactive phone booth where they can eavesdrop on the conversation, or visit a tattoo parlor and “get inked” with real-time projections. The graffitied walls appear to be shift in hue and tone, an effect caused by the changing RGBW lighting above. When guests reach the end, they discover a large digital clock ticking down to showtime.
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October 18, 2019
BLDWN, formally known as Baldwin, recently opened the doors to their flagship store on Melrose Place, the famous avenue of boutique fashion houses and high-end designer goods. BLDWN started in Kansas City as “Baldwin”, a denim label founded by husband-and-wife team Matt and Emily Baldwin, who have since relocated and reintroduced their line as a refined take on modern minimalist American fashion. Oculus’ lighting design uses integrated niches and troughs to conceal most of the primary light sources, creating a clean and sleek approach that reflects BLDWN’s sartorial aesthetic and design philosophy.
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August 23, 2019
Oculus has just completed another project in collaboration with Studio One Eleven! SteelCraft Bellflower recently opened up, and it’s bringing a whole new use to cargo containers. This 15,000sf food hall has a variety of food and drink spots along with a communal dining area to relax with family and friends (and pets!).
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August 7, 2019
With rising numbers of homeless populations in Los Angeles, non-profit affordable housing developer Community Corporation has been successfully increasing the number of available affordable units, especially for those who are facing unexpected economic challenges. Oculus feels both honored and proud to have worked with KoningEizenberg and Community Corp on the new Arroyo complex, which recently opened in Downtown Santa Monica.
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July 18, 2019
Oculus Light Studio’s latest completed restaurant project Birdie G’s, alongside architects Montalba, has opened its doors in Santa Monica, CA! This is also the latest creation for Michelin-starred Chef Jeremy Fox, who has also been nominated multiple times for a James Beard Award.
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April 25, 2019
ABC Mart Grand Stage opened up its doors last November in Tokyo’s trendsetting Harujuku district, where it was designed with Instragrammable photo opportunities at every corner so shoppers can take their social media to the next level while purchasing fashionable footwear. Working with CallisonRTKL, Oculus Light Studio was excited to be a part of this project as careful attention was taken to ensure that the seamlessly integrated lighting would flatter both the merchandise and the selfie-ready shoppers.
ABC Mart Grand Stage was also just nominated for a Shop! Award. The winners will be announced in June.
For more information on ABC Mart, check out this article here!
January 29, 2019
Check out these recent projects from Oculus Light Studio, including an international flagship store, a structure that is redefining the look of the contemporary multi-family development, three Bel Air mansions, a luxury children’s clothing store, an Italian restaurant tucked away in and inspired by the Peterson Automotive Museum, a boutique hotel nestled in Culver City, a TI remodel with an eye-catching portal facade, and a cost-effective shoe retail store prototype.
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December 18, 2018
This new Bel-Air residence has flown onto the market for $56 million with its unique three-wing propeller design and luxurious amenities that include a home theater, a poolside deck overlooking the city, and a 1,000 bottle wine cellar! Developer Duangpatra Bodiratnangkura spent four years on the 18,850 sf mansion and chose SPF:architects for the design. Oculus Light Studio is proud to have contributed the lighting design that will truly help this residence stand out on the hilltop.
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December 6, 2018
Oculus is pleased to find out that not one, but two of our projects are 2018 Winners awarded by the ICSC, the International Council of Shopping Centers. The ICSC U.S. Design and Development Awards are stated to “honor and recognize the premier design and development trends of retail projects, new developments, renovations, expansions, and retail store design within the U.S.”
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November 6, 2018
We are excited to learn that our lighting design project, Mayumi, won an AIA Los Angeles‘ Design Honor Award! We are especially proud of our hard work in helping to create this unique hotel environment and were happy to have been included on the project team with architect Shubin Donaldson.
This adaptive-reuse building features common areas that act as social hubs, such as the courtyard with a fire pit and a community kitchen, as well as flexible-stay options in their private micro-units.
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November 1, 2018
Check out this recent Los Angeles Times article featuring Leisuretown, a brewery, bar, retailer and food hall complex being built at 549 Anaheim Blvd. in Anaheim, CA. Modern Times, the project’s main tenant, will be set in a restored two-story, historic craftsman home and two re-purposed commercial buildings. This in-construction cultural hub will bring in the local community, which will surely also lure guests visiting California’s major theme park Disneyland. Anaheim is seeing an explosion of breweries opening up, particularly with a much lower permitting cost compared to Los Angeles.
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October 22, 2018
Blue Ribbon Sushi and Hank’s have recently opened up inside the new Palisades Village upscale shopping center. Oculus Light Studio had the opportunity to work alongside Asfour Guzy Architects on these beautiful designs. Check out these intimate restaurant spaces, which were recently mentioned in Eater LA!
The tranquil dining environment at Blue Ribbon Sushi is surrounded by warm lighting that accentuates the beautiful color of the wood panels and the dark ceiling and walls at Hank’s have a soft reflection from the glowing divertive fixtures that provide a retro feel.
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September 18, 2018
Get ready for the new 28,000 sf shark and sea predators exhibit at the Georgia Aquarium, where visitors will be immersed inside a world filled with the likes of hammerhead sharks, sand tiger sharks, tiger sharks, and sandbar sharks, oh my!
“Sharks are one of the most misunderstood species in the ocean,” says John Kasman, Vice President at PGAV Destinations.“The goal of the new shark habitat is to provide a fresh perspective on the vital role sharks play in our oceans’ health, and educate guests about the significant threats these animals face from over-fishing and habitat loss.”
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September 4, 2018
Check out these recent projects from Oculus Light Studio, including a turtle recovery haven that also educates the public about taking care of our planet’s creatures, this chic new addition to the Saks Fifth Avenue family in Miami, FL, and a stunning Downtown LA beacon.
Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery Center, Charleston, SC
Saks Brickell, Miami, FL
915 Wilshire, Los Angeles, CA
July 27, 2018
Oculus Light Studio project, Saks Brickell, is featured in this month’s Contract Lighting Magazine, as “The latest Saks Fifth Avenue in the East boasts an innovative lighting design that mirrors this unique neighborhood in greater downtown Miami.”
How did our lighting design team highlight thousands of designer shoes, bags and clothing for a 70,000 sf luxury department store you may ask? Well, it was certainly no easy task and required many a fixture to be aimed on precariously tall ladders by our team. The final result is stunning and was certainly worth the hard work to achieve the lighting’s creative solutions, not to mention being recognized by the Shop! Retail Environments Award in 2017.
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June 1, 2018
International Interior Design Association Southern California Chapter hosted their 2018 Calibre Design Awards on Friday, May 18th, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. We are happy to announce that our lighting design project, RDC/Studio111 Office, won in the Work-Medium Category at the Gala Event! Congratulations to RDC/Studio111, and a special thanks for including us as part of the design team.
You can view all the winning projects here!
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