Twitch, LA
To bring to life the newest LA base for streaming giant Twitch, a space filled with a unique collection of transportive spaces was created as a way to reflect the niche chatroom vibes of their online community. The challenge: create a hospitality focused “address free” space with excellent vibes filled with conversation-style seating and flexible collaboration spaces, all while budget limitations required the majority of electrical infrastructure be maintained.
Location: Los Angeles, California Architect: Gensler Photography: Jason O’Rear
Through careful coordination with the architect and end-user, the design team was able to include more dramatic moods rarely seen in an office environment.
Developing a workspace that doesn’t feel like a workspace is a rather large ask as it required the lighting design to not rely on the usual lighting fixtures and approaches. The lighting design traded in typical linear fixtures, lighting uniformity, and light level goals for elements and moods that felt more special. As employees and guests navigate the space, they find themselves moving in and out of different lighting vignettes, much like a user feels as they hop through chatrooms on the Twitch site.
Being able to live-stream from the in-house studio required the lighting team to utilize their experience in theater and film to provide camera ready adjustable lighting for a number of spaces. Although the lighting was complex, it had to be simple for everyday use. Integration and careful planning of lighting touch screens allows anyone to create dramatic backgrounds that fill the camera lens.
In the public facing areas, the lighting is more like your favorite late-night restaurant. Tailored pools of dramatic and focused light splash on task surfaces while lighting at a lower human level (integrated into millwork and other architectural details) provide a space that can transition from quick lunch to an afterhours entertaining hub.