Inspired by the storied spirit of the Whisky a Go-Go, this media enclosure is realized as a luminous, multi-faceted volume that hovers over Sunset Boulevard. Through precise engineering, the structure cantilevers over the historic roofline of the Whisky a-Go-Go, ensuring the new never physically meets the old.
Rethinking The Future Awards 2026
First Award | Signages Design (Built)
Project Name: Whisky A GO GO BILLBOARD
Category: Signages Design (Built)
Studio Name: RCDF Studio
Design Team: Rogerio Carvalheiro, Christopher Norman, Deyang Yu, Sergio Rodriguez,
Year: 2021 – 2026
Location: West Hollywood, California, USA
Property Owner: Maglieri Maglieri Trust
Client: Orange Barrel Media
Consultants:
Ben Sewell, LED Studio
Jeremy Mahon, High Impact Sign
Oculus, Lighting Design
YJ Inc., Structural Engineers
Terracon, Geotechnical Engineer
MEP California, Engineers
Photography Credits: Farshid Assassi, Assassi Productions
Render Credits: Bestar Creations Ltd
This intentional separation fosters a dynamic tension, protecting the landmark’s fabric while framing a new era for the boulevard.
The design takes its cues from the art of the fold, utilizing a faceted geometry that transforms as the viewer moves around the site. While three faces of the structure are clad in a perforated skin to radiate light, the northern rear panels remain solid.
This creates a rhythmic transition between the energy of the urban corridor and the stillness of the adjacent neighborhood. By containing the light spill, the structure becomes a sophisticated landmark—one defined as much by its brilliance as by its restraint.
Bridging the gap between the hand-painted heritage of the mid-century and the immersive digital landscape of the future, this enclosure reimagines the billboard as a work of architecture. By serving as a permanent canvas for the city’s Moving Image Media Art program, the project transcends traditional advertising to become a digital gallery in the public realm. It is a refined addition to a historic lineage—ensuring that the storied spirit of the Sunset Strip continues to glow as a global center for art and innovation.
