Renowned architect Frank Gehry has brought his innovative approach to shape and form to entertainment giant Warner Bros' new offices in Burbank, Los Angeles.
The office buildings are sculptural, slanted, and fronted by glass, described by Gehry as resembling a pair of icebergs. "I was trying to recapture that feeling of old Hollywood splendour," he said in a statement released by Gehry Partners. The buildings are intended to create a strong identity for Warner Bros, as well as Worthe Real Estate Group and Stockbridge Real Estate, the groups that are developing the project.
Spanning 800,000sqft spread over two buildings—one at seven stories comprising 355,000sqft, and the other at nine stories comprising 445,000sqft—the project will adhere to LEED certification standards for sustainability. Interiors will be spacious and open.
The complex extends Warner Bros' existing headquarters, which sit opposite the new buildings along the Ventura Freeway in the Burbank Media District. The project is slated for completion in 2023, coinciding with Warner Bros' 100th anniversary and earning the development the name "Second Century Project".
Additionally, Warner Bros will also be purchasing television production facility the Burbank Studios, which is located adjacent to the new offices. It was formerly occupied by NBC. The acquisition of the building will provide Warner Bros with more office space, eight sound stages, a mill building, and a commissary.
Canadian-American architect Gehry boasts a seven decade long career and plenty of awards under his belt, including a Pritzker Prize. He's perhaps best known for whimsical, statement-making projects such as the Dancing House in Prague and Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.
Photography: Renderings by Sora, courtesy of Gehry Partners LLP
