Hot Rods, Cool Digs

Tesla as featured in the May issue of Interior Design

Known primarily for restaurant design, Smith's CCS Architecture would seem an unlikely choice for a project comprising showroom, service center, and offices. "One of Tesla's board members suggested hiring a restaurant architect, because that's where the most creative work is being done," Smith explains. He scored additional points for prowess in branding, another part of the program: The L.A. facility is envisioned as the prototype for Tesla showrooms nationwide. Factor in Smith's affinity for fast cars and motorcycles, and the job was a match made in automotive heaven.

Red Marlin at Mission Bay

Located on beautiful Mission Bay, Red Marlin boasts some of the most amazing bayside dining and views in all of San Diego. CCS redesigned the former restaurant for The Hyatt in San Diego which reopened in February. The new design features an open-air terrace, indoor/outdoor bar, several private dining rooms, and the ultra-chic Red Marlin Chef’s Table, located in the center of the restaurant with its own built-in fire pit and extensively stocked wine wall.

Spark Modern fire

Spark’s linear burner system allows you to either retrofit an existing wood-burner, or create a horizontally oriented “custom linear firescape” up to eight feet long. Approved for natural gas or liquid propane, Spark’s linear burners are submerged and covered with fire-proof “media”—shards of tempered glass in light green or blue/white, or stones (white marble, mixed basalt, or black lava)—to create the illusion of a source-less flame.

Spark Fire’s linear burners optimize space। The option of fully-viewable fireboxes (from two, three, or four sides) let’s you bring the ambiance to multiple rooms. Lastly, Spark Fire Burners feature open-flame operation (glass doors are not required), a perk that duplicates the experience of a traditional masonry fireplace—more faithfully, even, than wood-burning stoves which require closed-door operation. But the look is pure modern. Whether you frame it out to emphasize the linear orientation, or integrate it with wallboard for a cleaner look, you’ll love how it re-defines those time-worn notions of home and hearth.

Tesla Opens Flagship Store in Los Angeles

May 28, 2008, San Carlos, CA—Tesla Motors, maker of the world’s most advanced electric car, has opened its flagship Los Angeles location, featuring architecture by CCS Architecture of San Francisco and New York. Like Tesla’s electric sports cars, the store design emphasizes style, efficiency, and performance. The showroom is located on Santa Monica Blvd. in the Westwood neighborhood, one block east of the 405.

The showroom has sandblasted, wood-truss ceilings, exposed concrete floors and clean, painted walls. Furnishings are made from rich, natural materials including walnut, stainless steel, and leather. CCS Architecture is designing all building renovations and interiors for Tesla Motors and creating the company’s architectural brand identity.

Tesla envisions its showrooms as a place for customers to hang out and learn. Digital displays present the history, design, and engineering of Tesla cars. A long, tall table—much like a restaurant communal table—extends from the showroom into the workshop, offering spaces for watching the action, lounging, or conducting private meetings. In the service area, the “Tesla Table” is a meeting table for mechanics.

The Grass Ottoman

The Grass Ottoman is constructed of a fade resistant plastic set on a lightweight form that is solid yet light weight. It can be used in the garden or the living room. The Grass Ottoman was originally designed for a contempary pool setting in Menlo Park California by G-H Design.

Palo Alto's newest resident

Under Construction: This is a very modernist 6000 square foot home for a family of 5. The lower part of the house is to be rammed earth, while the upper parts are wood and metal panels of titanium. The house is designed to capture the yard as a private indoor-outdoor space.