BANKS JOURNAL Flagship Store Los Angeles.

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Los Angeles-and Portland-based architecture firm WEST OF WEST has designed a new retail project in downtown Los Angeles, a showroom for the surf-inspired menswear brand Banks Journal.

Brought on by Banks Journal to create a memorable environment, West of West designed a clean and minimal space for the brand’s first retail showroom located in ROW DTLA in the Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles.
west of west retail design banks journal flagship store los angeles

The store was initially inspired by common elements that connect with the brand’s Pacific heritage spanning from Australia to Japan to Los Angeles.

West of West sought to create volume within the tall 1,000 sq.ft. retail space, situated in the shell of a historic industrial building. Divided into a shopping area, changing rooms, and benches, the catalyst for the interior shape is a lattice ceiling installation made of 1000 linear feet of wood, a nod to Japanese woodworking traditions that influenced mid-century Californian design.

Along with incorporated lighting, the vaulted ceiling carves distinct but ephemeral spaces within spaces for a nuanced shopping experience.The ash and poplar woods that form the lattice are also used in shelving, seating, and display areas.

west of west retail design banks journal flagship store los angelesWe were fascinated by the challenge of creating two spaces in one while still preserving a strong sense of openness,” say Jai Kumaran and Clayton Taylor of West of West. “The solution we came up with, a triple-vaulted wood lattice ceiling, allows one to move under, through, and out of the implied volumes it creates. You get multiple experiences within a small space without using any walls.”

West of West’s attention to materials and craft, and commitment to an understated but unique experience aligns with Banks Journal’s mission to provide considered, sustainable design.west of west retail design banks journal flagship store los angeles

The store’s unique aesthetic also points to Banks’ multi-pronged global roots and inspiration, including the thoughtful minimalism of Japanese craft, the laid-back styling of Byron Bay surf culture, and the ever-evolving urban energy of Los Angeles.

WEST OF WEST  is an architecture and design studio founded by Jai Kumaran and Clayton Taylor in 2012 which operates in Los Angeles and Portland. Inspired by the explorative spirit of the American West, the studio engages architecture and design to activate new frontiers of viewing, framing, and occupying the landscape. Each project is an opportunity to build a new reality by creating progressive spaces and shaping new experiences. Since its inception, the studio has completed multiple projects ranging from commercial and cultural to residential and product design in cities across the United States.

 BANKS JOURNAL celebrates craftsmanship and creative culture. Its innovative collective of surfers, designers, photographers embrace the curious side of thinking and positive changes in the world. When it comes to crafting product, Banks Journal aims to create a classic approach to design with a fine regard to the details whilst always trying to incorporate sustainability.

by AN shopfitting magazine no.145 ©
Photos courtesy Scott Snyder