Commercial Architecture April 2018 - 13

FEATURE

restaurants

Coffee For
Sasquatch
D

an Brunn Architecture, Los Angeles (danbrunn.com)
transformed an existing bare space into the first Coffee

For Sasquatch (coffeeforsasquatch.com) in Los Angeles by
implementing a playful, modern design. The Melrose Avenue
coffee shop creates a mystical environment evoking the
forest where Sasquatch lives.
The front of the store features an outline of the hairy
folkloric creature with surrounding real, living greenery to
add depth and texture to the space. The service counter,
finished in beechwood, extends from the plantings to
symbolize a growing tree branch from the forest. A mix of

Above. Dan Brunn Architecture, Los Angeles, transformed an existing bare space into the first Coffee For Sasquatch in Los Angeles by
implementing a playful, modern design. The front of the store features an outline of the hairy folkloric creature with surrounding real, living
greenery to add depth and texture to the space. Photo: Brandon Shigeta, courtesy Dan Brunn Architecture

materials and an abstract mural continue the essence of
the wilderness and create a visually dynamic environment.
Custom-designed built-in seating curves along the walls and
coffee bar to provide comfortable spaces for eating, drinking,
and socializing. These distinctive elements are clearly visible

Below. The service counter, finished in beechwood, extends from the plantings to symbolize a growing tree branch from the forest. A mix
of materials and an abstract mural continue the essence of the wilderness and create a visually dynamic environment. Custom-designed
built-in seating curves along the walls and coffee bar to provide comfortable spaces for eating, drinking, and socializing. Photo: Brandon
Shigeta, courtesy Dan Brunn Architecture

through the new storefront to create an iconic image for the
shop along the street.
Upon entry, customers are welcomed by an 11-ft.-tall
representation of the brand's Sasquatch logo made of brown
powder-coated steel and set within a 7-in.-deep living plant
wall. Sasquatch, known for being predominately frightening,
serves as the shop's friendly mascot to greet and intrigue
patrons. The living green wall, designed in collaboration
with Habitat Horticulture, Los Angeles (habitathorticulture.
com) features a range of plant species inspired by the natural
forest, such as Velvet Leaf philodendron, male fern, Blue
Star polypodium, southern maiden-hair fern, button fern, and
Norfolk Island pine.
From the entrance, customers are drawn in by a central
axis accentuated by light and volume. This catwalk-like
path ignites a feeling of movement and appears to elongate
the space. A Barrisol, Kembs, France (barrisol.com), ceiling
stretches over LED lights to create an ethereal glow above
the pathway. The ceiling is designed as an inverted pitched
roof to create a sense of endless height. Flowing artificial
vines hang from the light coves in the coffee shop, as well
as in the bathrooms, for additional greenery and an air of
mystery in the space.
The beechwood service counter represents a tree
branch emerging from the forest and seamlessly extends
through merchandise and food display cases to an integral
bench where coffee purveyors can relax while waiting
for their orders. DBA designed this bench and bar area to
encourage employee interaction and engagement with
customers. Rather than hide baristas from view, the scale

and form of the coffee bar serve to invite dialogue. Several

forest theme. DBA custom designed the beechwood tables

materials have been used to add texture to the space, such as

with soft angles to tie the curves of the chairs and seating

the natural beechwood counter, terrazzo floors and seating

built-ins together.

areas, and "Calacatta Nuvo" Caesarstone, Northridge, CA

On the wall opposite the Sasquatch vertical garden,

(caesarstoneus.com), on the coffee bar, backsplash, and

a site-specific, hand-painted abstract mural created by

menu board. Custom-designed menu graphics provide easy

Oakland-based artist Hueman (huemannature.com) evokes

visibility on both sides of the board.

the mystery of the forest. Titled "The Mist," the image

In contrast to the sharp lines of the path, the built-in

features gray cloud forms, along with geometric shapes, to

seating areas at the heart of the coffee shop are defined by

represent the unknown and secretive world inhabited by the

flowing, curved surfaces of poured-in-place terrazzo. Curved-

giant creature. The light-colored walls and ceiling form a pale

wood chairs designed and manufactured by the Swedish

envelope to showcase the mural, living wall, wood furniture,

company Hem (us.hem.com) in European beech extend the

and surfaces within the interior.

commercialarchitecturemagazine.com

APRIL 2018

COMMERCI A L A RCHI T EC T URE

http://www.danbrunn.com http://www.coffeeforsasquatch.com http://www.barrisol.com http://www.caesarstoneus.com http://www.huemannature.com http://us.hem.com http://www.commercialarchitecturemagazine.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Architecture April 2018