ASID Icon - March/April 2009 - (Page 32) UP CLOSE/ Cultivating Design FOUNDING FARMERS PLANTS THE SEED FOR GREEN EATERIES/ IF THERE’S ANY one word to describe the PROJECT SPECS/ Firm CORE Principal Peter F. Hapstak, AIA, IIDA, ISP Design Team Christopher Peli, Project Architect Deborah Lerner, LEED AP, Project Manager Allison Cooke, LEED AP, Interior Designer Location Founding Farmers 1924 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC 20006 Floor plans: CORE American family farmer, it’s sustainable. So when the North Dakota Farmers Union (NDFU), a cooperative of 40,000 farmers from its namesake state, set out to create a restaurant, they opted for a sophisticated tribute that melds modern and vintage agronomy. “We took a grassroots approach and deconstructed the whole idea of agriculture and food from a historic perspective,” describes Peter F. Hapstak, III, AIA, IIDA, ISP, principal of Washington, D.C., firm CORE, which executed the unique and recently-born Founding Farmers, the city’s first LEED Gold-certified restaurant. “Our main push was to think like a farmer thinks,” says Dan Simons, principal of Vucurevich | Simons Advisory Group (VSAG), which represents NDFU and is responsible for developing and managing the restaurant, from the menu to the operational efficiency. “Every single day-to-day system, we plan it, and nothing is better than authenticity. We had the ultimate credibility because it was farmer-owned.” Specifying sustainable product was both challenging and at the same time painless. “Many natural decisions met LEED requirements,” says Simons. “It was really all about research. We create what we call a brand filter, [which outlines] the brand and how it is intended to impact the guest. One of the things on there was ‘LEED-certified.’ So we never really heard an idea that didn’t [speak to] LEED.” Such ideas include a unique water filtration system (and no bottled water for guests); 90 percent reclaimed materials; a kitchen waste, recycling and compost area; and recycling or diversion from landfills of more than 75 percent of construction waste. Just under half of all materials were manufactured within 500 miles of Washington, D.C. Eco-friendly lighting is a tough spec within restaurant interiors. “Trying to light a LEED-certified restaurant is a daunting task,” shares Hapstak. “The most challenging aspect was the specification of the fixture type. We used mini-halogens, low voltages, LEDs for massive illumination. It’s hard to get warmth from these lights, so we needed to gel them, to control the color thought.” The design pays homage to the American farmer while holding to the restaurant’s sustainable operations. “We didn’t want it to be overly literal, instead it is a series of metaphors,” describes Hapstak. “[The floors] read like a quilt, how you would see a farm from 30,000 feet.” The two-story framework is reminiscent of a typical farm structure, and features a farmhouse at the entrance and silo-inspired booths. “Themed is not what we’re talking about. It’s experiential dining,” continues Hapstak. “It was a very natural, organic process. I’m surprised we got [LEED] gold. I think we would have been happy with silver.” A true cultivation of responsible thinking. i 32 icon march/april/09 the magazine of the american society of interior designers Photos: Michael Moran
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