Rewriting the rules

Founded in California in 2004, the creative collective Commune is now headed by Steven Johanknecht and Roman Alonso. Challenging the conventions of American interior design, Commune has generated an aura of cool on the West Coast with a long series of buzz-worthy projects—notably hotels for the Ace Group—and an ethical approach based on natural materials and local workmanship. What’s new. Their latest commissions in California include the conversion of a parking garage into a high-end marijuana dispensary with the look of a jewelry store, the restaurant of the Academy of Motion Pictures Museum, set to open in late 2021, plus a weekend home in the Angeles National Forest, blending a chalet spirit with the Shaker style and Japanese minimalism.