Fanny’s by Commune at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in L.A.

Located in the freshly opened Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, Fanny’s is a new all-day eatery designed by Commune. Developed by restaurateurs Bill Chait and Carl Schuster, the interior blends contemporary style with Hollywood glamour.

Named after Fanny Brice—the legendary movie, vaudeville, theatre, and radio star portrayed by Barbra Streisand in her Oscar-winning role—the two storey restaurant features a spacious main dining room punctuated by a series of curved booths, an art deco-style bar and lounge area, and a prepared foods market with group and communal tables.

The bar is a standout. While it clearly references the art deco era, there is nothing vintage about it. Beautifully crafted in zinc, it will only get better with age.

The museum, designed by Renzo Piano and the late Osvaldo Maiozzi, connects the former May Company department store, a 1939 Streamline Moderne landmark—with a new massive concrete sphere. Juxtaposing the industrial architecture of the Renzo Piano building, Fanny’s interior incorporated warm natural materials, including maple panelling, marble, zinc and leather and mohair upholstery.

Drawing inspiration from the May Company building and legendary old Hollywood restaurants like Perino’s and the Brown Derby, Commune looked to capture certain elements from that era but in a completely modern way that would integrate seamlessly in Piano’s industrial design. Film making also became a big source of inspiration with the wood panelling seen throughout evoking the construction of set flats in movie sets.

The space features work by local artists, including custom light fixtures by Atelier de Troupe and Pojagi-inspired sheer curtain panels by textile artist Adam Pogue. “We love the incredible murals by Konstantine Kakanias, he did a great deal of research into the life of Fanny Brice and ‘mashed it’ with all contemporary entertainment icons with such great humour, only he could have done it so successfully,” explains the design team about the specially-commissioned wraparound mural by Los Angeles artist and illustrator Kakanias that celebrates the life of Fanny Brice, as well as other film and music legends from classical Hollywood to present day.

Related: Ace Hotel Kyoto by Kengo Kuma and Commune.

[Images courtesy of Commune. Photography by Yoshi Makino.]