Frieze Los Angeles Building, Paramount Studios Art Show, American Tent Architecture

Frieze Los Angeles Art

Art Presentation at Paramount Studios in L.A., California design by wHY architecture, NY, USA

Feb 18, 2019

Frieze Los Angeles, Paramount Studios

Design: wHY New York

Location: Los Angeles, California, USA

Frieze Los Angeles

Frieze Los Angeles will invite visitors into a rich indoor/outdoor experience, where art presentation inside the tent integrates within Paramount Studios’ storied back lot. The fair is immersed in its location and the city it belongs to, fusing those elements with the art-viewing experience.

Working within the confines of a temporary tent structure, wHY approached the fair design primarily from an experiential standpoint – creating a sequence of environments that transports fairgoers from the moment they step out of their cars.

“Art is about allowing yourself to see the world in a different way, and that’s why it gives me such amazing joy. When I think about the experience of viewing artworks, my role is really to create this beautiful set of conditions where people and art meet. It’s a lot like being a matchmaker. You’re introducing two friends – one the artist, and the other the art-lover – who didn’t know each other beforehand, and then you step into the background.”
– Kulapat Yantrasast, Found & Creative Director, wHY

With Paramount’s chameleon-like backlot providing space for additional exhibits and amenities, the fair breaks the confines of the tent, moving program outside to draw on LA’s indoor/outdoor lifestyle.

These spaces—which include pop-ups of cult eateries SQIRL and Roberta’s—nestle amongst art installations by Sarah Cain, Paul McCarthy, Barbara Kruger and others, fusing place and program.

Within the tent itself, translucent ceiling panels capture LA’s ample and distinctive natural light to create ideal art viewing conditions.

Tasked with bringing this latest iteration of the international fair to LA’s globally significant art community, wHY referenced its deep connection to the city and its artists, having worked on studio spaces, museums and cultural centers that bring art and people together

“L.A. is a city with an open spirit. When I moved here in 2003 it was for the light, the space and the freedom – and it still feels like new things can happen here. That spirit influences the art community and the ways that we’re able to experience art; it’s less rigid: something kind of messy and casual that is, in turn, welcoming.”
– Kulapat Yantrasast, Found & Creative Director, wHY

This approach applies across each element of the fair, from the seamless integration of the backlot to the inclusion of greenery throughout the entry pavilion and use of materials that drive home the feeling of being ‘backstage’.

Frieze LA will become a space that welcomes visitors to have a meaningful connection with LA’s immense cultural offering, that has brought Frieze and the city together.

Frieze Los Angeles – Building Information

Client: Frieze
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Status: Opens Feb. 14 2019 / Images Feb. 13 2019
Size: 77,500sf (tent) / 150,000 (backlot)
Budget: Confidential