The Art Room Café & Bar
LOS ANGELES, CA
Housed in a brick building from 1915, the 3,500 square foot day-to-night cafe was designed by AUX Architecture and received a 2021 Restaurant Design Award from the American Institute of Architects, Los Angeles. The design features the original warm red brick walls, a 50-foot long stained walnut bar that seats 14, flexible indoor and outdoor seating for 40, and a bespoke installation of 150 bottles positioned at various heights at the back of the bar. Diners are surrounded by art, light, and air, and are connected to a pair of naturally lit galleries at the building’s center.
Project Category
Hospitality
Status
Completed 2023
Client
The Art Room
Size
3,500 sq. ft.
Seating for 54
The café is part of a larger multi-use space that includes an art gallery and AUX Architecture’s office. The space rethinks how an all-day café, gallery, and office can be configured for a diverse range of people including artists, designers, musicians, architects, chefs, baristas, mixologists, photographers, and performers.
At the entrance, a moveable kinetic façade — an operable three-part custom aluminum screen — creates a physical connection and represents a symbiotic relationship between the various spaces within. The façade both identifies and secures the building with four possible configurations allowing users to control natural light and ventilation. The design focuses on achieving maximum flexibility and creating a place for people to come together.
CREDITS
AUX Team: Brian Wickersham, Matthew Aulicino, Elizabeth Pritchett, Burcin Nalinci, Taylor Nunes-Agins, Louie Bofill, Matthew McFetrick, Anabelle Arias, Chris Driscoll, Liu Qiao
Consultant Team: Operable wall system by PanoramAH!, Nous Engineering, Bluestone Contracting
Photos: Manolo Langis
AWARDS
2023 AIA Los Angeles Design Award, Citation, Adaptive Reuse/Renovation Category
2023 Southern California Development Forum Design Award
2021 AIA LA Restaurant Design Award
2020 AIA San Fernando Valley Design Award