Master Oak in Penske Media Los Angeles

What do Rolling Stone, Billboard, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter have in common? They are all part of Penske Media Corporation, and now they share a new home in Los Angeles.

Spanning more than 11,600 m², Penske Media’s new headquarters was designed by RIOS as an open, collaborative workplace on an impressive scale. Throughout the interior, warm wood tones soften the architecture and connect the different spaces. The material behind that look? Master Oak natural, specified as the alternative to oak veneer.

Project details

Location: Los Angeles
Country: United States
Sector: Office
Architect: RIOS
Contractor: Ayala Development Inc.
Completed: Summer 2026
Photographer: Ryan Gobuty

Master Oak featured in Penske Media headquarters in Los Angeles

One oak look, throughout 11,600 m²

In a headquarters this size, visual consistency matters. Master Oak natural creates a continuous design language across the workplace, appearing in shelving, wall paneling, built-ins and details beneath seating areas. Its light and neutral oak tone brings warmth to the large-scale interior without taking over the space.

Master Oak combines the look and tactile character of real oak with the consistency of a decorative surface. For Penske, Master Oak natural panels were paired with matching HPL and edging tape, ensuring the same carefully selected oak design across different applications and surfaces throughout the interior.

Made for a workplace that gets used

A media headquarters sees plenty of action. People gather, move, meet, work and connect across shared spaces every day. The interior has to keep up.

That’s where Master Oak adds performance to the veneer look. Its surface is three times more scratch-resistant than real oak, stain-resistant, UV-resistant and easy to maintain. So the interior keeps the character of oak, with a surface designed for the realities of a busy workplace.

Recycled wood at the core

Material choice also played a role in the project’s sustainability ambitions. Master Oak uses a chipboard core made from 100% recycled wood, giving discarded wood a new purpose instead of relying on virgin material.

For Penske Media, that combination made perfect sense: the character of oak, a consistent design across a large interior and a durable surface made for everyday use.