May 13th marked the official opening in Los Angeles of Sonos Studio, the first-ever acoustically-designed gallery to celebrate music listening – or, more precisely – listening out loud. The space will explore the intersection of music, art, and technology by hosting exhibitions, intimate concerts, listening parties, film screenings, lectures, workshops, and more.
Strategically located in the heart of the LA Brea Art and Design District, the 4,000 square foot venue features a sonically-tuned gallery space, complete with custom-built seven-degree canted walls and pyramidal sound-dispersing foam tiles; a listening lounge; a gourmet coffee bar; and even a lending library. (Savvy marketers will note that what you won’t find is a check-out counter; Sonos Studio is what some are calling a “flagship experience“).
Santa Barbara-based tech company Sonos commissioned the space with the aim of providing the best place in L.A. to listen to music, “Sonos-style.” For the uninitiated: this means that a good song deserves to be played out loud, in great quality, as a social activity. In the ten years since the company’s founding, Sonos has garnered a cult-like following among music-lovers and industry insiders who can’t get enough of its wireless HiFi speakers. Indeed, it was this enthusiasm for the Sonos brand that encouraged the company to create Sonos Studio, a space solely devoted to building community around a shared musical experience.
In keeping with this ethos, Sonos made every effort to engage local designers, businesses, and artists in the realization of the studio. Rania Alomar of West Hollywood firm RA-DA oversaw the architectural buildout; Studio Collective designed the interior of the Listening Room; neighborhood favorite Coffee Commissary created the coffee bar installation; Venice-based Knibb Design custom-built the furniture; and skateboarding legend Natas Kaupas established a skateboard “lending library” with a hand-picked playlist to match each deck. As if that weren’t cool enough, people interested in experiencing the Sonos Wireless HiFi System will also be able to borrow Sonos players, including some special editions that can’t be found anywhere else.
Beginning this week with the opening of Center of Attention, a touch-activated, interactive sound installation by Los Angeles artist Luke Fischbeck, Sonos Studio will host a series of six-week exhibitions, all free and open to the public during regular hours (Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 6pm). At the core of each exhibition cycle is the act of listening; each installation and its associated events will celebrate the connection of music to art, fashion, film, design – and even food, sport, and technology. True to form, Sonos says that each of the events in the inaugural cycle is the result of their collaborations with “people we respect and bands we love.” As capacity is limited, most events will require an RSVP. Those interested in receiving updates and invites are advised to register for the mailing list at www.sonos.com/studio.
At a time when more and more people are listening to music exclusively through headphones, Sonos is offering a radical alternative. Says a spokesperson from the company, “We want to rally music lovers around our listening revolution. We hope that people who come to view an installation, attend an event, or just hang out will appreciate how vital music is as an experience.” Indeed. It’s hard not to agree with Sonos when they say, “there has never been a better time to be into music” – especially if you live in Los Angeles.
Photo credit: Ralf Strathmann
Photo credit: Ralf Strathmann
Photo credit: Ralf Strathmann
Photo credit: Ralf Strathmann
Photo credit: Ralf Strathmann
Photo credit: Ralf Strathmann
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