10 questions
A Modern Makeover
Anthony Agriam discusses the resort’s revamped Monarch Bay Beach Club and his
general philosophy on what makes for an effective design.
BY SEAN STROH
Anthony Agriam always knew he would become
a designer of some kind. After studying architec-
ture and industrial design in college, he decided
to home in on his passion for interiors. In 2011,
he founded the Los Angeles-based design firm,
Bishop Pass, and has since become one of the
most in-demand creative minds in the food and
beverage industry.
Earlier this year, Agriam’s firm completed an
extensive, multimillion-dollar renovation of the
resort’s Monarch Bay Beach Club. Here, Moments
talks to Agriam about the inspiration behind
the project, challenges encountered during this
remodel and the most common designer faux pas.
Moments: How does a project next to the
ocean differ from one in an urban setting, such as
downtown LA?
Anthony Agriam: The biggest issue for a
project near the ocean is durability. Salt air will
eat away at almost every material, including
woods, metals and some fabrics, so we have to
treat everything as if it was outside.
M: What drew you to this project?
AA: We had done work on various other parts
of the property. … We were also instrumental
in [Stonehill Tavern’s] conversion to Bourbon
Steak, and it was during that process that our firm
learned about the beach club project.
M: What did your design process entail?
AA: We recognized that this is a historic
building that goes back many decades. In fact, its
architecture exemplified a lot of the beach houses
in the neighborhood from the original subde-
velopment. You can actually see some of those
houses still exist up on the bluff over the club.
Our goal was to pay homage to the California
coast and its rich history, and my firm’s design
director, Stephen C. Knight, was highly instru-
mental in making that happen.
M: How much input did the resort have?
AA: We started by listening to what wasn’t
working with the club and how they wished to
see those issues resolved. It all started with line
of sight: They had a fireplace that blocked the
42
MONARCHBEACHRESORT.COM
Anthony Agriam,
founder of Bishop
Pass, the design
firm that renovated
Monarch Bay Beach
Club (pictured in
the background)
view from the patio and a bar that was obsolete
and didn’t function. You had various spaces and
rooms that were ineffective because you had to
go through all of those rooms to get to the bath-
room. Once we solved the programmatic and
planning issues to operate the building, they were
on board with our aesthetic.
M: What is the biggest interior design faux pas?
AA: The biggest mistake, I think, is misreading
your client. Many firms don’t solve the problem
that is presented to them and instead try to make a
statement with their design. We can often forecast
how long something is going to last just because of
the sheer lack of durability or good space planning.
M: What was the primary challenge you
encountered when redesigning the beach club?
AA: The previous bar space was impracti-
cal because it was too tight and didn’t allow for
proper equipment. It was quite narrow, which dis-
couraged people to stay in the bar and hang out.
… The bar space actually backed up to an open-
air patio, so we got rid of the wall that separated it
and put in bi-fold doors. This also enabled us to
showcase the great landscaping on the side of the
bluff that the beach club is nestled up against.
M: How do you go about balancing design
and functionality?
AA: If it doesn’t function, it doesn’t really mat-
ter how good it looks. We always start by under-
standing how to make each building work and
then we build a story on top of that.
M: How would you describe the feeling once
you complete a big project like this?
AA: Honestly, it’s a sense of relief. I’d like to
say there is a little decompression to appreciate
and maybe favor the results but, to be honest, it’s
off to the next project.
M: What has the feedback been like?
AA: Based on what we’ve heard from the
general manager and other staff at the hotel, the
feedback has been really great—not just from the
guests, but the homeowners in the area, too. They
appreciate the functionality, the space and just
the comfort of it. It doesn’t feel like a commercial
space, but rather soft and residential.
M: Do you have any upcoming projects with
Monarch Beach Resort?
AA: There has been some buzz, but nothing I
can disclose quite yet.