The expansion of Warner Bros.’ headquarters in Burbank, California, known as the “Second Century” expansion, is now complete—and already an iconic fixture in the city’s skyline with its tilted glass facade resembling floating icebergs. Designed by Frank Gehry, an architect renowned for his unique structures, including the curved, metallic Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and the fanciful Dancing House in Prague, the Warner Bros. Second Century building is meant to “recapture that feeling of old Hollywood splendor,” Gehry said.
Last month, David Callahan, Senior Vice President of our Hughes Marino office in Los Angeles, served as the moderator for a sold-out event—“Unleashing Creative Collaboration: The Warner Bros. Second Century Experience”—which unveiled the award-winning space. The event was sponsored by CoreNet, the global association for corporate real estate, of which David is a long-time member.
David led a discussion with the creative team behind the newly expanded, award-winning space, including Pauline Cheng, project manager for design and construction with Warner Bros. Discovery; Brooke Edwards, Director of Project and Development Services at Cushman & Wakefield; and Ashlie Fuller, a design principal in the Los Angeles office of NBBJ.
Warner Bros. had a vision of what the studio’s second century would look like, allowing opportunity for expanded creativity and innovation, and the building was inspired to showcase that perspective. “This is an opportunity to reimagine not only our workspace but our future,” Kim Williams, Executive Vice President and CFO of Warner Bros. told Deadline. “Along with our historic lot, the newly expanded campus will fuel increased creativity, facilitate collaboration, and help us attract and retain the world’s best and most diverse talent. It will also better position our company for the future and provide for more production capacity.”
A key feature of the panel discussion was the importance of collaboration and long-term thinking. The Second Century project broke ground in 2020, and required cohesive vision, teamwork, and long-term planning to guide it through completion.
Despite the pandemic, the Second Century project remained on track thanks to the team’s solid and well-executed vision. Looking toward the future, they created interior spaces that facilitate culture and hospitality. There’s a welcoming entryway, with music and food, and iconic Warner Bros. characters adorn the walls. “It’s the kind of attention to detail that our team at Hughes Marino brings to clients who are looking to upgrade their space, relocate, and want to shed outdated ideas about office spaces,” says David. “The process begins with vision planning, locating the right building or space to meet those needs, and finding creative solutions that can be built into lease agreements.”
“This conversation reinforced my commitment to help companies plan for the future,” says David, “so that they can find the space and design the environment that best reflects their identity and inspires their team—all while optimizing the workspace as well. From collaborative areas to quiet nooks, incorporating diverse workstations will allow for team members with different work styles to choose their environment which will help to foster creativity, focus and productivity.”
