The Caffé by Mr. Espresso | California

Central island

Located in downtown Oakland, the project reflects the second generation of Bay Area brand, Mr. Espresso, serving as an example of how a diverse cultural landscape can heavily nourish a community’s heritage identity.

Functional Design

The design is inspired by Italian culture, using minimalism and contrast to create an experience similar to that of a traditional Italian caffe ritual. The espresso bar becomes the central feature of the space to accommodate the large number of people. It is designed as a central island, featuring a custom, elegant pastry display, reminiscent of a jewelry shop.

Material Palette

The material selection is inspired by the Italian tradition, which is masterful at creating spaces with great complexity using minimal elements, thus leading to carefully choosing materials such as natural wood, stone and marble. The term “chiaroscuro” -the Italian notion of contrast- provides further inspiration. More specifically, hand polished copper contrasts with the organic nature of wood and stone and acts as a reflective backdrop for the espresso bar.

Architectural Sculpture

Above the bar, a lightweight, wooden sculptural form highlights the verticality of the space and defines the heavy, wooden island. The sculpture also serves as a gestural move, acting both as an object -a nod to the domes and arcades of the Renaissance and Baroque periods- as well as a spatial boundary that constructs an interplay between solid and void surfaces.

The sculpture is composed of 272 slats formed from a total of 528 pieces, all made of birch plywood, designed and laid out to minimize waste. An array of prototypes are made and tested, focusing primarily on the staining process, which is eventually achieved with Ethiopian Shantawene coffee.