Academy of Country Music

Agency: HASTINGS Architecture
Client: Academy of Country Music

Founded in Los Angeles in 1964, the Academy of Country Music (ACM) originally represented the renegade spirit of west coast country music artists outside of the “Nashville Music Machine”, such as Merle Haggard and Buck Owens. Their attitude that was 'more bar room than boardroom' is a sentiment that can be seen threaded throughout the design of the new headquarters.

The building's exposed timber construction and concrete floors become the perfect foundation for the headquarters design that is layered with natural wood, stone, and leather accents to create a rich and comfortable aesthetic. A custom leather-wrapped reception desk at the entrance stands in contrast to the burnt wood wall behind. Industrial perforated metal panels split the space and align with the exposed concrete walls of the building core, further reinforcing a grittier rugged look and feel. With the architectural language defined, the design focuses into smaller moments that celebrate Country Music. This can be seen in the two screen planting systems that flank the reception and create a boundary between the public spaces and private offices and open workstations. Narrowing in, the band wrapping the base is made using the inside of guitars while the shelves at the top are placed based on the most popular cords played in Country Music. Private offices and central workstations are supported by a variety of meeting rooms, as well as a content creation studio and editing space, and a chic lounge complete with a stage for hosting live performances for industry, members, and staff alike, with a generous adjoining balcony overlooking the hip neighborhood.