Refreshed, a coffee bar, is a whimsical oasis that serves hundreds of employees by providing a place for relaxation, socialization, and caffeine. Approaching the entrance, a whirlwind of circulating paper held in suspended animation serves as a spectacle over the space.

A mug wall adjacent to the clerestory and central seating further connects to the concept of shared, collective knowledge. And tucked behind the central seating area, a quiet heads-down space reveals a plethora of card catalogs and lounge furniture.

Visitors can transcend into their own real life mystery and are encouraged to solve a series of riddles that unlock a secret vault hidden within the Coffee Bar. Card catalogs and books play a role in the search for the secret, where visitors can open drawers or pages and discover bespoke miniature art sculptures.

Refreshed Coffee Bar

This confidential client decided to develop Refreshed, a coffee bar on the top floor of their mid-rise office building. This whimsical oasis serves hundreds of employees by providing a place for relaxation, socialization, and caffeine.

The newly renovated Coffee Bar, a collaborative design between our studio and Valerio Dewalt Train, aims to initiate moments of discovery and spontaneous collaboration, reflective of the company’s product. A California Trail Blazers theme found throughout the rest of the building is incorporated into Refreshed through material finishes and discoverable moments. The space was designed to mimic the experience of a classic library and nods to a collective, encyclopedic knowledge concept.

Approaching the Refreshed entry, visitors are met with a custom wall covering of enlarged rolled paper that eases them into the space. The installation subtly introduces visitors to literary themes found throughout the rest of the coffee bar, and plays on the concept of the turning of a page, acting as a transition between the office atmosphere and calming coffee bar experience.

Beyond the entry threshold, a whimsical installation of circulating pages, designed in collaboration with Yellow Goat Design, draws people in and continues the concept of encyclopedic knowledge that the company is based upon. This installation swirls sheets of U.S. patent drawings and scientific journal writings into a fantastic whirlwind of knowledge. Climbing up through the clerestory, the installation presents differently from every angle and acts as a “wow moment” upon entering the coffee bar.

The muted color palette was chosen to enhance the relaxing tone of the space. Moments of oranges and yellow, seen in the servery, clerestory installation, and quiet zone, add to the warmth of the space while also energizing the grounded palette.

A mug wall adjacent to the clerestory and central seating further connects to the concept of shared, collective knowledge. The display allows users to grab their personal mug to reduce waste while incorporating a sense of discovery in the Coffee Bar experience. Hundreds of blue colored pencils line the back face of the Mug Wall, strengthening the punch of the color palette and nodding to the California trail blazers theme in their reference to John Steinbeck, a California author known for writing exclusively in pencil.

To the right of the central seating sits the quiet nook area. Card catalog drawers were used to carry out historic library themes. These catalogs invite users to open drawers and discover a world of information within. Framed archival prints from famous Californians such as Ray Bradbury and Neil Armstrong tie in with the California Trail Blazers theme and provide a visual connection to the literary nature of the space.

Unique to this Coffee Bar is the ‘discoverable moments’ experience. Hidden within the card catalog and within the books scattered throughout, similar to a scavenger hunt, visitors can find small clues, created in collaboration with Eunoia Modern, that reference the California trail blazers theme. These clues then lead to a secret hidden vault, where visitors can unlock the key to the encyclopedic knowledge.