AO launches automotive facility design studio
AO, a leading full-service architecture firm with expertise spanning the full spectrum of commercial real estate and branded environments, today announced the launch of its Automotive Studio, a practice area dedicated to delivering integrated design solutions for automotive dealerships, service facilities, and evolving mobility-focused retail environments.
The new studio will be led by Lyle Hutson, NCARB, who joins AO as a Principal, bringing three decades of specialized experience designing automotive facilities for leading national and international brands, including Porsche, BMW, Lexus, Audi, Genesis and more, expanding AO’s ability to meet growing client demand at the intersection of brand, retail, and customer experience.
The Automotive Design Studio builds on AO’s long-standing work in the sector, including recent automotive retail and brand experience projects such as Kia DTLA and Mercedes-Benz of Encino, as well as a broader portfolio of dealership and service facilities delivered for major automotive manufacturers and dealer groups across the western United States.
“The launch of our Automotive Design Studio reflects both client demand and the evolution of automotive retail,” said Tom Bergerson, Partner at AO. “Today’s automotive environments require more than traditional dealership design. They demand a thoughtful integration of brand, customer experience, technology, and operational efficiency—areas where AO’s collaborative, multi-studio platform delivers real value.”
As automotive brands continue to reimagine how customers engage with vehicles, from sales and service to EV infrastructure and digital-first experiences, AO’s Automotive Studio is positioned to help clients navigate these changes through adaptable, brand-forward design strategies.
The studio will focus on a wide range of project types, including:
- Automotive dealerships and service facilities
- Brand-forward retail environments
- EV-integrated sites and infrastructure
- Customer experience–driven showroom concepts
- Adaptive reuse and modernization of existing facilities
The Automotive Studio also strengthens AO’s broader studio ecosystem, working in close collaboration with the firm’s Retail, Mixed-Use, Parking, Science & Technology, and Interior Design studios to deliver integrated solutions that respond to increasingly complex client needs.
“Automotive projects today are no longer standalone facilities,” said Lyle Hutson, AIA, Principal at AO. “They function as branded destinations that must align with evolving customer expectations, new vehicle technologies, and operational demands. AO’s integrated studio model allows us to bring together the right expertise to create facilities that perform at every level.”
The launch of the Automotive Design Studio reflects AO’s ongoing commitment to diversification through integration, leveraging specialized expertise while maintaining a highly collaborative, firmwide approach to design.
By formalizing its automotive practice into a dedicated studio, AO is expanding its ability to serve existing clients while opening the door to new partnerships across the automotive, mobility, and branded retail sectors.