bold flagship
The Webster
The Webster’s flagship store in Los Angeles is a ground-up retail development adjacent to the historic Beverly Center. Juxtaposed beneath the monolithic eight-story structure, the boutique asserts itself as a sculptural and experiential counterpoint to the traditional retail experience. The concrete façade is injected with a pink dye, an ode to the luminosity of California. The flagship cultivates a public destination with a digital art wall, water feature, and canopy seating that extend the retail experience into the city.
vision
The concept for The Webster was driven by a desire to dissolve the boundaries between retail, public space, and experience. Each of the brand’s boutiques carries a distinctive energy. Adjaye Associates’ vision created a “cathedral-like” environment, designed for adaptability to events, parties, and fashion shows. Comfort, curation, and experiential immersion were positioned as the hallmarks of the store, reinforcing The Webster’s goal of transcending transactional retail and offering a cultural destination.
detail
The integration of exterior and interior elements forms a seamless architectural narrative. Beneath the cantilever, a digital wall illuminates bespoke art, a water feature shapes the acoustic environment, and banquette seating curves along the façade. A panoramic entry of curved glass dissolves the threshold between plaza and boutique, while concrete columns and teardrop plinths create sculptural vignettes for merchandise.
secret
The entrance is distinguished by a monumental, ten-foot, curved concrete door, engineered through an inventive collaboration between the project team and specialty fabricators. The prefabricated door is made of a styrofoam core and precast surround. Functionality was achieved through cube-shaped motorized pivots sourced from Brookfield Industries, while copper and Amesbury Truth seals provided durable weatherproofing. Accessibility was addressed by a bronzed vertical lever, designed to be toe-pressed for ease of use. This bespoke solution demonstrates how technical innovation and craftsmanship were applied to realize the project’s striking threshold.
