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NEWPORT BEACH: FAO Schwarz, Los Angeles, California
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Ongoing shell construction and location in a historic landmark add complexity to this interior for FAO Schwarz.
OWNER: FAO Schwarz Inc.
DEVELOPER: Caruso Affiliated Holdings
ARCHITECT: Fitch-ADD
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The Project
$1.2 million complex interior for an upscale national toy retailer. The full scope of the work included:
- Full interior build-out of a 20,000 sf interior with a variety of radial design walls, soffits, and specialty lighting displays
- Coordination with tenant's supplied fixtures, neon specialty lighting, and animatronics toy displays
The Challenges
Part of a new retail center, the FAO Schwarz store had to be completed in time for the center's grand opening. Yet this was no ordinary store interior. Unique aspects of this project included:
- A gigantic toy soldier to lift and install, with a hidden structural steel framework, above the store's entry
- A variety of kid-friendly surfaces in irregular-shaped circulation patterns, vibrant colors and prints, all complemented by task and ambient lighting, plus strategically placed neon
That was just for starters. The bigger construction challenges included:
1. An accelerated schedule. To make the grand opening, the project required a high level of coordination with the shell contractor. What's more, much of the interior design required field modifications and sometimes substantial redesign to coordinate installation with the physical characteristics of the building.
2. Limited site accessibility. Since the shell and interior construction occurred simultaneously, accessibility was prioritized based on the project's unique hierarchy. Also complicating matters was the center itself. It was attached to an existing facility known as the Farmer's Market, an historic landmark. This high profile area adjacent to Television City (CBS Studios) is a gathering spot for celebrities, TV/movie industry movers and shakers, and the local gentry, adding a degree of importance for ensuring the project minimized construction related disruptions.
3. Seismic and methane gas activity. Imagine building over a pocket of methane dating back to prehistoric times. The Fairfax District, where this project was located, is near the famous La Brea Tar Pits. Consequently, all buildings must have specially engineered systems designed for the safe handling and removal of methane gas seeping up from deep within the Earth's crust. The handling of this methane gas is a new science. It's a natural phenomenon with no known precedents occurring in a densely populated area like this.
The Result
FAO Schwarz wowed children and parents alike at the retail center's grand opening, impressing them with the animatronics toy displays and an environment designed for play and wonder.
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