The filmmakers from creative production company Shilo recently collaborated with architects Jim Brown and Jim Gates, the principals of San Diego based Public Architecture + Planning, to design their new studio, which is located in the heart of downtown La Jolla at 7650 Girard Avenue.
Shilo was established in 2004 in Del Mar, California, and in New York City, by co-founders Jose and Danielle Gomez, Andre Stringer and Tracy Chandler, with Shilo East opening for business that year in lower Manhattan. Since then, the Emmy Award-winning company's reputation for creating original and commissioned work that is powerful, provocative and visually extraordinary has spread internationally, and as a result, they have grown steadily. With recent attention-grabbing projects spanning short films, commercials, music videos, a groundbreaking MTV public service announcement produced to aid the people of Burma, and many more high-profile assignments currently underway, following the opening of their new studio in Manhattan last fall, the partners decided the time was right to expand their West Coast operation.
"In our old studio, we had essentially run out of space," said Jose Gomez. "After it was filled head-to-toe with animators and producers, it just wasn't very client-friendly.
"There were a few key things we wanted in our new space," Gomez continued. "For starters, we wanted to keep a nice open feel to allow our artists and producers to collaborate easily and effectively. Second, we wanted an amazing area for clients to relax and work while they were with us. Last but not least, we wanted to be in an area where everything was within walking distance, close to dining and entertainment, with an overall sense of convenience. La Jolla fit that bill perfectly, and the location we found on Girard Avenue, with its 19-foot ceiling and almost floor-to- ceiling windows, offers great light and wonderful ocean and sunset views."
Gomez learned about Public over the years as their creative uses of space and design caught his attention. After buying land near the ocean in Del Mar, California for a new home, Gomez chose Public for that project, and their creativity in designing his new residence earned them the Shilo West commission. Like on the Gomez residential project, San Diego based RGB Group handled construction on Shilo West.
"Shilo's new space was raw - an empty shell," explained Public's Jim Brown, who handled the project along with Gates, project manager Adam Bowhay, and construction project manager Jonathon Stevens. "The central issue addressed in designing the new space was to maintain a feeling of collective creativity within the organization as exemplified by the design," Brown said. "The plan facilitates the central design goal, which was to maintain a centralized design node, where all of the artists can continue to inspire each other."
Public's Stevens addressed more specifics of the building's features, Shilo's objectives, and the design solution. "The third floor suite is long, and there are great expanses of exposed brick and concrete which the clients wanted left exposed," he said. "As we focused on the central design node, we had to consider the space's large footprint as well as Shilo's desire to be able to expand in the future." Public's design solution was a slight variation on the new design of Shilo East in New York: Their main feature became an 80-foot design desk which forms a centerpiece in the studio by defining the curvature of the office, conference room and kitchen. Together, the design desk and the offices create a dynamic space where everyone is interconnected.
"The visual connection between the central design desk and the adjoining office and meeting areas is very powerful," Stevens concluded. "The space elegantly achieves the public, semi-private and private spaces required to run such a productive, creative company."
Gomez and his colleagues are equally pleased with the results. "Public is an amazing firm, and they really did a stellar job on this," he said. "I really love the old brick walls and the overall feel of the place. and how all the offices are different heights and form a mini skyline in our space, since none of them actually go all the way up to the ceiling. Also the main desk for the artists looks amazing, serves our needs beautifully, and just makes the perfect statement. I also really like our conference room overlooking the street."