bauhaus inspired lounge area with chairs and dim lighting
Classic furniture pieces from USM, Artek, Vitra, Herman Miller, Tecta, Emeco and OMK adorn the different areas in an industrial atmosphere.

June 2, 2025

Words: Karine Monié

Photography: Yoshihiro Makino

A Bauhaus-Inspired Creative Space in L.A. Fosters Connection

Innovation, collaboration and production are all under one roof at The Lighthouse, a newly launched 22,500-square-foot campus—the first of its kind dedicated to creators—in the heart of Venice, California. Occupying the historic former Venice Post Office, originally built in 1939, the space’s interiors were transformed by Warkentin Associates (led by Nathan Warkentin, who previously served as senior hospitality designer at Studio Shamshiri).

The Lighthouse redefines what’s possible in today’s workspace. Consisting of steel, glass and concrete in their raw state, the simple and industrial palette aligns with “truth to materials,” a core tenet of Bauhaus—the German art and architecture school founded in 1919 by Walter Gropius. The Warkentin Associates team looked to the movement as one of the project’s main sources of inspiration.

Warkentin Associates Crafts An Innovative Campus For Creators

lounge area with dim lights, brown couch and chairs
Classic furniture pieces from USM, Artek, Vitra, Herman Miller, Tecta, Emeco and OMK adorn the different areas in an industrial atmosphere.

“The Bauhaus was an experiment in how people work and create together, intentionally integrating disciplines to spark creative collisions,” says Warkentin. “With The Lighthouse, we aimed to evolve this ethos for a new generation of creators.”

On the ground floor, the hybrid live podcast studio and vinyl DJ booth captures the aesthetic of ’90s college radio—echoing, in particular, scenes from the 1997 movie Grosse Pointe Blank. Arata Isozaki’s Oita Prefectural Library (1966) influenced the design of the library and open workspaces, while the Pavillon Le Corbusier guided the treatment of the stairs and circulation as an experience in The Lighthouse. Warkentin Associates utilized a very tactile raked plaster finish throughout the project that was inspired by Paul Rudolph’s work at the Yale Art & Architecture building, one of the earliest known examples of Brutalist architecture in the United States.

With pops of color interspersed throughout the furniture, rugs and accessories for a warmer atmosphere, a vibrant central café and “living” areas, The Lighthouse blurs the lines between work and social spaces. “It will act as a gathering place for digitally native, curious, ambitious, career-driven creators to connect, collaborate and grow together in an IRL (in-real-life) environment,” says Jon Goss, co-founder and president of The Lighthouse.

Step Into The Lighthouse By Warkentin Associates

exterior facade of The Lighthouse
Nestled in the historic Venice Post Office from 1939, The Lighthouse reinterprets the building’s original role as a hub of communication for the digital era.
library area with multiple red tables and black shelves
The overall concept of The Lighthouse is a unique blend of hospitality and studios.
part of room with circular lights and lounge area
Assorted desaturated green Forbo panels were introduced at the private office partitions. The spun aluminum disc pendants are inspired by the work of Achille Castiglioni.
lobby area with historic painting on wall
The monumental painting Abbot Kinney and the Story of Venice by Edward Biberman, 1941 was brought back to its original location in an effort led by developer and landlord Alexander Dellal after a stint at LACMA.
test kitchen in basement
In addition to all of the production spaces, the basement level includes a test kitchen.
nook area with couches and shelf with records
Warkentin Associates spent a year and a half designing the interiors after a full restoration and adaptive reuse of the 1939 landmark by developer Alexander Dellal of Allied Commercial.

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