Los Angeles studio Design, Bitches has refurbished a local building for a nonprofit education organisation, creating a variety of areas to learn, work and develop skills.
The 9 Dots education centre in Hollywood offers a wide range of education support, including tutoring for children interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) subjects, as well as teacher-training programmes, community workshops and other classes.

Design, Bitches overhauled the existing building that 9 Dots occupied, and worked around its vast wooden frame. Before the centre moved into the space in 2015, the building served as a production facility.

The structure features a curved double-height ceiling lined in Douglas fir panelling, along with a series of windows, exposed ducts and beams, and concrete floors. Spanning 11,000 square feet (1,022 square metres), the industrial shell provided a blank canvas for interior opportunities, including new classrooms and meeting areas.

Previously, the school was split across two buildings separated by a courtyard. One was an open-plan space and the other housed an indoor basketball court.
Design, Bitches altered the gym volume by adding more work and study areas. Rather than building internal walls, the studio inserted a free-standing plywood frame to help divide the floor plan.

The wooden volume houses private offices and classrooms, to offer more intimate spaces for working compared to the rest of the building.
"In order to accomm...