Alfred Highland Park is located in a historically Hispanic neighborhood in East Los Angeles that is rich with history and culture. The design, loosely inspired by Café Havana in Mexico City, transforms the simple rectangular room into a large communal space which opens to the lively street life on Figueroa Street.
Looking to create a social neighborhood hub, the design team’s first move was to reorient the space from parking lot to street. A formerly solid blank wall along the Figueroa Street sidewalk, becomes animated by bright yellow painted fold-up windows with street facing counter seating built in. A full view of the cafe interior is offered to the street, inviting people in. On the parking lot edge of the space is a run of banquette seating with multicolored textured glass windows bringing in a changing spectrum of animated light throughout the day.
The materials bring in a feeling of vintage familiarity with modern accents. Elements such as oxblood colored tile wainscot, gold leaf accented antiqued mirrors, dark walnut moldings, checkered linoleum flooring, a grand wall clock (to remind you of your mortality), engineered Hempwood banquettes, and tabletops featuring Venturi Scott Brown’s 80s ‘Grandmother’ pattern. A Bansky inspired piece of art features the new company logo as a subtle hint of what’s yet to come for the brand.