Neon Rated's Santa Monica office by Studio Muka channels filmmaking ethos

Studio Muka designed the new Santa Monica headquarters of independent film distributor Neon Rated, creating a 10,000 sq ft space at Santa Monica Airport that evokes film sets and cinema history. The husband-and-wife team Zabie Mustafa and Neda Kakhsaz, Wallpaper* US400 honorees, transformed a 1940s building into an adaptive reuse project with exposed concrete aggregate floors, an interior courtyard, and custom oak millwork referencing Frank Gehry. The reception features vintage 'Djinn' chairs from 2001: A Space Odyssey and a lightbox still from Portrait of a Lady on Fire. The screening room has automated reclining seats inspired by Dieter Rams in deep blue, with Studio Muka-designed sconces. Furniture includes pieces by Vipp, Hay, USM Haller, and vintage designs by Umberto Riva, Olivier Mourgue, and Sergio Mazza. The breakout space resembles a Milanese café. Founder Tom Quinn, who previously hired Studio Muka for his home, describes the office as an atelier for creativity. The design incorporates references to Rolleiflex cameras and automotive design inspired by Neon's film Ferrari. The space aims to honor cinephilia and Neon's origins.