Moxy Downtown Los Angeles | Yabu Pushelberg

Moxy Downtown Los Angeles | Design Intention & Inspiration

Building upon the success of Moxy Times Square and Moxy Chelsea, Lightstone – developer of six Moxy hotels in New York City and South Beach – tapped Yabu Pushelberg to design the first Moxy hotel in Los Angeles. Combining Moxy’s distinct and playful brand ethos with the adventurous spirit of California, Yabu Pushelberg designed Moxy Downtown Los Angeles through the eyes of a desert nomad. Drawing from Easy Rider, the 1969 cult film that elevated the counterculture and celebrated the great 

American road trip, the hotel's interiors are sexy, irreverent, and playful, with references to biker culture, desert reptiles, and the gritty romance of the open road. This point of view crafts a world that champions bold choices and is inspired by the freedom of personal expression.

Lobby Lounge

The lobby is an expansive space with an open ceiling and an eye-catching jumble of design elements, including a retro-style motorcycle and sidecar. Inspired by the colors of desert rock formations, the neutral rammed earth lobby walls contrast in both form and mood with reflective mirrored columns, mimicking the captivating experience of a desert mirage. The snake motif on the lobby custom-made carpet designed by Yabu Pushelberg leads to the adjacent Bar Moxy. Sofa groupings anchor the expansive lobby, featuring custom leather upholstery work inspired by motorcycle seating to evoke a cross-country trip through the California desert. Fun swing chairs and communal tables provide settings for guests to gather. The side tables are finished to resemble desert sands, while the lobby’s signature coffee table references desert driftwood.

Unique to Moxy Downtown Los Angeles, Yabu Pushelberg designed a comfortable motorcycle pouf to complement the ambiance of the local biker and motorcycle scene which guests can easily pick up to create seating arrangements tailored to their group size, large or small. Giving further dimension to the lobby, guest check-in is tucked away in an iridescent-tiled and surprisingly expansive alcove, intended to capture the moment when sunlight hits an oil spill on the desert road.

Bar Moxy

Inspired by a roadside gas station, the Bar Moxy serves as a landmark along the guest journey. The bold, geometric bar constructed in vertical metal mesh functions as liquor cabinet, featuring a terraced counter and bespoke pattern symbolizing the speckles of stones in rolling sand. Bar stools are arranged in a gradient tone of plum to currant, while cocoon-like armchairs, and additional seating were designed to accommodate groups or individuals visiting for any occasion. An earth-toned color palette rich with warm neutrals contrasts with brass and black metal to provide definition and grit. 

The Studios

Perched on the mezzanine, the studios offer inspiring views of the lobby below to help generate ideas and enhance creativity. The Lobby Lounge color story carries into The Studios, where transparent technicolor glass walls separate workspaces and rich earth tones run throughout the furniture to ground the space. Yabu Pushelberg designed custom modular furniture to allow the space to transform from private meeting environment to a relaxing secondary lounge by night. The mezzanine can transform into a dance floor with a custom mobile DJ booth. Neon artwork hints at the ability of the Studios to transform into a nightlife venue, infusing the workday with an energetic sense of playfulness.

Guestrooms

Upon entry, guests are welcomed by a custom copper-colored mosaic wall, inspired by the glow of a desert sunset. Yabu Pushelberg leaned into this warm, crimson-and-cedar palette and worked with materials such as copper that gently reflect and refract light. The luminous effect creates a welcoming embrace of a soft, warm bed after a long day of travel. The guestroom headboards are made from distressed green leather, telling the stylish story of a well-worn leather motorcycle jacket. Custom handlebar sculptures hanging on the wall provide a modern interpretation of taxidermy.