2025 Southwest Best Projects
Best Project, Residential/Hospitality: The RaRa Room
The RaRa Room
Phoenix
BEST PROJECT
Submitted by Gensler
Owner Player 15 Group
Lead Design Firm Gensler
General Contractor Okland Construction
MEP Engineer Energy Systems Design
Kitchen Design Landmark Kitchen Design
Lighting Design Revel Design Group
The high-end members-only club at Phoenix’s professional basketball arena creates a transportive atmosphere, evoking the glamour of mid-century supper clubs blended with Art Deco opulence. Designed as a year-round hospitality destination, the venue was conceived as an intimate, experiential club that would elevate arena hospitality well beyond game-day service. Features such as limewash plaster, hand-blown glass chandeliers, custom furniture and imported rugs create a richly detailed, timeless space that elevates the guest experience.
Appropriately for the club’s location, the project team successfully executed a fast break to meet the owner’s accelerated delivery schedule. Every material and vendor selection needed to balance speed, availability and design intent. The team responded by fostering strong collaboration between every contributor to quickly assess and approve alternatives that met performance and aesthetic standards while aligning with delivery needs.
Photo courtesy Douglas Friedman
Intricately designed columns and ceilings posed a particular timeline risk due to detailed fabrication and installation requirements. To overcome this challenge, a fast-tracked fabrication schedule allowed critical elements to be manufactured in parallel with ongoing design coordination, reducing construction bottlenecks and easing field installation. Early involvement of fabricators and trades helped identify constructibility concerns, allowing the team to pivot as needed and maintain momentum.
Every aspect of framing, electrical and ceiling layout was carefully reviewed before any elements were sealed. This approach facilitated early adjustments, which were quick and cost-effective, resulting in the elimination of rework and enabling the project to be completed ahead of schedule. This decision also allowed for adequate preparation for complex installations.
Ultimately, the constraints of time and complexity became a catalyst for innovation. For example, a handwoven carpet from India arrived at the supplier creased and with apparent damage. Loading the carpet into a heated semi-truck relaxed the fibers during transport to the project site, where it laid flat and allowed installation to proceed without delay.
