Los Angeles, California, USA
Starring by Ted Gibson is the modular solution that FGP Atelier came up with for a Ted Gibson Salon in Los Angeles that caters to the modern needs for intimate spaces, ‘clouds’ in this case, where the atmosphere and shopping adapts to a particular client’s preferences with the help of Amazon’s Alexa.
The project has been awarded a 2021 AmericanAward for Architecture from The Chicago Athenaeum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
Over the past several decades, the retail landscape has changed dramatically. Shoppers have increasingly elected to purchase products online.
As shopping habits have changed, so too has the nature of the stylist. Stylists have become increasingly entrepreneurial.
They have found greater independence from the salon via social media. This has led to a capacity to move from one locale to another with greater ease.
Salons have responded by offering greater flexibility and the capacity for stylists to work on a more temporary basis rather than having a permanent station.
It was in this context that celebrity-stylist Ted Gibson and his partner, the colorist Jason Backe, decided to open a salon tailored to a younger crowd of entertainers and influencers rather than the more established socialite and fashion clientele that patronized their former New York salon.
The type of space that would draw the necessary interest would have to be quite different than what had served them in the past.
Whereas the grand and big were once attractive, the intimate, unique, and relatable had increasingly become a focal point.
People were increasingly interested in spaces addressed to the scale of the body and experiences fostering exclusivity and quality.
This shift, in turn, presents the opportunity to consider what one can accomplish at a small scale that cannot be done at a larger scale.
In order to address these limitations, a modular solution was offered.
This included the repetition of 5 semi-enclosed pods. Each varies slightly and would be fabricated with the aid of digital fabrication technology.
Each pod (‘cloud’) allows for a unique atmosphere that can adapt to a particular client’s preferences for lighting and music while also providing visual isolation from the other guests in the salon.
These pods sit within a neutral white environment that provides a bright backdrop as a stage for the guests.
Beyond the series of pods lies a waiting area in lieu of a reception desk, a washing area screened by a curtain of thin Plexiglas rods, and a powder room with custom wallpaper.
The guest experience, as well as the broader salon, is powered by Alexa through a partnership with Amazon.
In addition to controlling lighting and audio, the partnership with Amazon also makes it possible to scan styling products on shelves in the salon, add those products directly to the client’s shopping cart, and then have them delivered later that day.
This will be the first cashier-less retail establishment that Amazon has created through a partnership with a brand that is not their own.
Each cloud will offer different ambient lighting options like “Everyday Sunshine,” “Moonlight,” and “Indoors,” to view hair color and styles in various light and ambient settings.
Additionally, each individual cloud will feature an Amazon Fire Tablet, Amazon Prime Video application, and Sonos speakers for truly personalized entertainment programming and music options.
The salon itself will be entirely voice activated through Amazon Alexa, and a state-of-the-art entertainment lounge will welcome guests instead of a traditional salon waiting area.
Project: Ted Gibson Salon
Architects: FGP Atelier
Client: Starring by Ted Gibson
Contractor: SGM Smith Global Media
Photographers: Courtesy of the Architects
