New Development Project To Redefine Sunset Strip Landscape

Joining ranks of new projects that opt to carry on the legacy of historic sites, 8550 Sunset is coming to West Hollywood in 2023. The 12-story building, designed by Miami-based firm Arquitectonica, will be built on the site of the iconic Viper Room venue and lounge. For Los Angeles residents and music lovers from around the country, the Viper Room once symbolized the electric thrill of the city’s music scene and the club saw celebrity guests nightly. The new project will take that legacy into account by introducing a re-designed venue and recording studio space to the area. The new venue entrance will reference the original Viper Room’s timeless design. 

As a mixed use development, 8550 Sunset Boulevard will also house multiple eateries, cafes, retail spaces. The new businesses will be joined by a five star hotel and 26 condominiums. Cafes, storefronts and the Viper Room entrance will all be part of a two story platform at street level, while the hotel will rise up to the fifth story. The residences will rest on top, reaching the tenth story. The tenth floor will also be home to a restaurant and bar boasting an outdoor terrace with skyline views. 

With the LEED Gold Standard in mind, the project will attempt to meet sustainable goals like reducing water and energy usage. Its future impact on the environment will also be considered, and elements addressing this have been incorporated into the building’s design. A green roof is planned for the top of the two story street- level platform, while condominium balconies are set to have continuous planters on their balconies. The facade of the building will also incorporate green roofs, as well as insulation features to decrease energy use. 

8550 Sunset builds on Arquitectonica’s existing design and architecture portfolio, featuring the geometric sensibility, eye for pattern and material experimentation the company is known for. According to Bernardo Fort- Brescia, FAIA Principal of Arquitectonica, “The building defines its block and activates the sidewalks with activity and history. The hotel, restaurants, cafes, and the legendary Viper Room are part of the old and new story of the block. This life reappears on the roof as the residential thin layers of terraces fade into platforms that open to the sky. They emerge from a hotel base made ever moving by perforated bronze panels. It’s Earth and the Pacific horizon coexisting.” 

The building’s sweeping horizontal planes, perforated bronze panels and conversation with the panorama seen from its rooftops match the energy of a re-designed Viper Room. Its construction, set to begin next year, could signify the start of a new, contemporary era for the once- glamorous Sunset Strip.