Starting with a long-vacant retail space, offce42 planned the subdivision of 6,400 square feet of space into four distinct spaces, three food tenants and one wine retailer. The largest tenant is the Hippo, which seats 110 patrons inside and out. The central concept is that the cooking, and the movements of the kitchen staff, was a performance to be enjoyed alongside the food. The kitchen was framed and lit as a stage to be watched, but also allows a close intimacy for the chef to watch the guests. The building's large clerestory windows and wood bow trusses were cleaned and lit to add warmth and texture above the otherwise industrial space.
