The 2021 announcement that the Los Angeles and New York work and social hangout NeueHouse had merged with the photography museum Fotografiska with locations in Stockholm, New York, and Tallinn, Estonia also revealed that the synergistic brands were now rolled into CultureWorks, a holding company and management and development platform for culture, experience, and hospitality brands. Here, cofounder and CEO Josh Wyatt, who has led the growth of NeueHouse since 2018, discusses the CultureWorks ethos, upcoming developments for NeueHouse and Fotografiska, and how he’s reimagining community via the two distinct brands.
What led to the formation of CultureWorks?
Right as COVID was starting to impact the world, NeueHouse was starting to explore strategic alternatives in terms of new capital partners, ideas, and growth trajectories. I came across Yoram Roth [the current executive chairman of CultureWorks], who at the time had an extensive track record in investing in hospitality platforms, predominantly in Europe. We got to talking about what he’s interested in, which is design, art, culture, and community, and I started talking about NeueHouse. Fotografiska, which was one of his major holdings, was also starting to navigate COVID, and so we looked at both companies and said, ‘Wait a minute, there’s a much wider story here.’ It’s not just about Yoram coming in and investing in NeueHouse. It was, ‘Hey, why don’t we do something pretty daring in the middle of this pandemic?’
What did you hope to create?
We started to look at iconic companies like LVMH, Kering, even what Sébastien Bazin had done at Accor, and thought, ‘Why don’t we do that in the culture space?’ No one had built a global platform around design, community, and hospitality outside of the hotel space, so that was the genesis of CultureWorks. We looked at NeueHouse and Fotografiska as kindred spirits coming together, almost like siblings that had been separated at birth. The mission of the company is to support, pursue, and expand upon moments of culture.
A large-scale chandelier is a focal point of the Roman and Williams-designed Chapel Bar, located adjacent to Fotografiska New York
How is this reflected at NeueHouse?
If you look at how people were starting to work, even pre-pandemic, it was much more about collaborative use of time, where you can plug in and plug out. We found that a lot of the creative companies and people we focus on were starting to get technology and interaction burnout, and therefore they were looking for quieter spaces to work. We went about renovating to provide quiet contemplation and intimate collaboration. We redesigned and relaunched all of the NeueHouse public spaces to bring together this confluence of work and social moments, and on the back of that we launched a new membership called the NeueHouse Salon, which is a place where you can share ideas with other people.
Can you describe the F&B component you’ve introduced at NeueHouse?
The way that people spend time now is much more thoughtful. They’re not going to 10 or 20 meetings a week. The first test case of that is the new NeueHouse Gallery Bar, which we launched in September 2021. People now can work and eat in a very elevated but comfortable environment. The ability to maximize your time during the day, then go upstairs and have a quiet space to work or to take a meeting is very powerful.
The CultureWorks team, from left to right: Marcel Reichart, Jon Goss, Josh Wyatt, Andrew Herschkowitz, Yoram Roth, and Adriana Marianella
Last fall, NeueHouse opened the members’ only Chapel Bar designed by Roman and Williams with architecture by CetraRuddy, located adjacent to Fotografiska New York, as well as the Wyman Bar in the NeueHouse Bradbury in Los Angeles by DesignAgency. What is your goal with these spaces?
We felt people wanted to be a part of a community that runs far deeper rather than wide, so we set out to create new spaces where people could congregate throughout all hours of the day—starting at 8 a.m. and going to 2 a.m. The Wyman Bar also focuses on the creative performance community in Downtown LA. We’ve kicked off a new music series, which has become a well-known Wednesday night scene.
What’s ahead for NeueHouse?
In Hollywood, we’re launching a new restaurant by DesignAgency and a renovated 300-person capacity outdoor event space in the fall, which will be designed by Rockwell Group. In December, we’re launching NeueHouse Miami, by DesignAgency. NeueHouse Venice Beach [also from DesignAgency] is opening in late summer. Our building on Market Street is owned by Oscar Award-winning producer Tony Bill. In the ’60s and ’70s, it was a shared office space for cinematographers, editors, and producers—almost a precursor to NeueHouse. We stripped the building down to its original wooden studs and brick, and we’re building it back up in this beautiful Craftsman style, working with local artists and purveyors. We’re going to deliver something that is so lovingly crafted and layered.
A rendering of the courtyard at Fotografiska Miami, designed by Rockwell Group
What is in the pipeline for Fotografiska?
A relaunch of Veronika, our restaurant inside Fotografiska New York designed by Roman and Williams, will open in June. From there, we’re opening Fotografiska Berlin in February 2023 [with an exterior renovation by Herzog & de Meuron and interiors by Studio Aisslinger.] Fotografiska Shanghai by AIM Architecture will open in late 2022, followed by the Rockwell Group-designed Fotografiska Miami in 2023.
How does Fotografiska embody the idea of community?
Very few museums, if any, have created a holistic community where you’re inspired by the exhibitions but equally the design, the hospitality, the food, the retail—everything coming together. We have more than 10,000 members despite the fact that we still are a relatively nascent company. Our members are buying a membership because they’re being engaged. We’re creating spaces for them to visit, to work during the day, to have beautiful food and drink, and most importantly, to have cultural and artistic programming. Almost every night at Fotografiska there is something going on from an intellectual or artistic perspective.
This article originally appeared in HD’s April 2022 issue.
