Focused on serving local, organic, seasonal creations to a high-traffic, hungry FiDi crowd, this large café is the result of combining two adjacent restaurant spaces. The build-out required a focus on creating an efficient customer experience and well-organized staff work areas, to support their busy breakfast and lunch hours of operation.

Studio BBA interjected our value for materiality into the airy white shell, adding texture, mood and human scale. To bring warmth we clad the existing 18’ ceiling in douglas fir wood, and designed a maple window counter and custom maple and steel casework. Subtle decorative elements include dimensional Heath tiles and Kreme wallpaper, designed and made in California, and a concrete floor appliqué. Custom planter boxes and wire trellis at the windows will support climbing vines to green the space.

Devising the menu display became our team’s favorite detail on the project. We created a custom steel framework operated by electric winch. The apparatus sends the menu high up for visibility when posted, and easily facilitates bringing the whole assembly down for menu changes.