Houndstooth Coffee MLK / OFFICIAL

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Text description provided by the architects. A bright and welcoming space established by full height glass walls envelope the Houndstooth Coffee interior.  An expansive U-shaped bar with split capabilities allows it to work as a full-service coffee bar during the day and cocktail bar in the evenings.  The form and materiality of the bar defines and directs its uses.  The quartz monoblock to the east is thoughtfully carved to receive customers and equipment while the opposite high bar is a white oak cantilevered surface.

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Above the bar is a sculptural white volume clad in alder slats that activates the space and intuitively directs customers from entry points on opposite ends of the storefront to point of service while concealing mechanical systems. The form, likened to a ship in a bottle, brings mass and focus to the voluminous interior.  The architectural horizontality is complemented and balanced by vertically oriented and textured materials that respond to functional needs of durability and acoustic control. 

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Floor mounted stools, designed by the architect as butcher block white oak milled into a conical seat resting atop a sandblasted then clear-coated steel base, wrap the front of the bar and high counter seating along the window.  A custom designed communal table, swiveling lounge chairs, and floating bench offer seating options for all levels of interaction.

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As the natural light dissipates in the evenings, a soft warm glow illuminates the bar ceiling while the rest of the volume goes slowly out of focus, subtly transitioning to an intimate atmosphere.