Restaurant Design: Ella’s Restaurant

500 Presidio Avenue
(between California Street & Masonic Avenue)
San Francisco, CA 94115
Neighborhoods: Presidio Heights, Lower Pacific Heights

Inspiration:
The Presidio was originally a Spanish Fort sited by Juan Bautista de Anza on March 28, 1776, built by a party led by José Joaquín Moraga later that year. In 1783, the Presidio’s garrison numbered only 33 men.The Presidio was seized by the U.S. Military in 1846, at the start of the Mexican-American war. It officially opened in 1848, and became home to several Army headquarters and units, the last being the United States 6th Army. Several famous U.S. generals, such as William Sherman, George Henry Thomas, and John Pershing made their homes here.

Floor plan includes:
A hallway that leads up to the upper living space on the second floor, two cooking and service areas, of which one of those will include a dishwashing area. There will bar service counters for both the cooking and service areas. There is a storage room and there will be two toilets accessible to the two dining rooms. The bar will be an immediate access from the front enterance doors, as well as a small waiting area for customers.

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Floor Plan- Construction Drawing

Floor Plan- Rendered Drawing

Restaurant Section 1

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Floor Plan with Materials

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Commercial Design: Reflections Spa

Two Stockton Street
(on the corner of Stockton Street and Market Street)
San Francisco, CA 94102
Neighborhood: Union Square

Project Description:
A successful spa operator has decided to open a luxury spa in Union Square in San Francisco, California. The building they selected is located at 2 Stockton Street, above the new XXI Forever store. They wanted to hire me as the interior designer and help them create a unique atmosphere that is conducive for relaxation, escape as well as visual enjoyment.

Concepts:
a) Oasis: an isolated area of vegetation in a desert, typically surrounding a spring or similar water source
b) Hide: put or keep out of sight; conceal from the view or notice of others
c) Camouflage: hide or disguise the presence of (a person, animal, or object) by means of camouflage.
d) Mirror image: an image or object that is identical in form to another, but with the structure reversed, as in a mirror.

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Phase 1: Design Study 1

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Phase 2: Design Process 1

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Phase 3: Rendering 1

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Research Study: Light and Color Perception

Light is necessary to our perception of color. This is why we don’t see colors in the dark, only shades of grey. It‘s all based on the composition of light and how it is reflected.

Ultra-violet or infra-red electromagnetic waves are outside the visible spectrum for human beings and are therefore not visible. The visible spectrum range for humans is from 400 nm (nanometer) to 750 nm. Light is composed of electromagnetic waves. Not all these waves are visible to the naked eye. Those that are, are what we perceive as visible light. Color, or our perception of color, is a result of the way in which an object absorbs and reflects light. The color impression that our brain generates depends on which wavelengths of the visible light spectrum are reflected by an object.

Receding and Advancing Spaces 1

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Light to Dark Contrast 1

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Contrast of Saturation

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Warm to Cool Contrast 1

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Triad against white background

Triad against black background

Triad

Complementary Contrast

Simultaneous Contrast

Light Reflectance Values

CD Spectrometer

Industrial Design: Measuring Cups

We were to design a product that emphasizes the six steps in design thinking: understand, observe, point of view, ideate, prototype and test. Considering the future use of our product design as well.

I designed a combination of measuring spoons and measuring cups that can stack together. I designed three cups of different sizes that are labeled and divided for cup measurements and then I designed a set of cups divided into tablespoon and teaspoon measurements. The reason why I think all of the pieces should have all of the measurements marked, is that with all of the cups marked with multiple measurements, the set of cups is more efficient for the cook; there are less items to keep track of and maintain, yet each cup will provide utmost use than current measuring cup designs.

Phase 1: Sketch 1

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Phase 2: Design for Cup measurments

Phase 2: Design for Tablespoons and Teaspoons

Phase 3: Final Product Design

Restaurant Design: Vegan Restaurant

660 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94105

The new restaurant space is located in the South of Market district of San Francisco, near the W Hotel and directly adjacent to the future expansion of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The location is an existing three story building.

The concept of this vegan restaurant is based on the Three Jewels of Buddhism which are the three beliefs that Buddhists take refuge in, and look forward for guidance, in the process known as taking refuge. The first sphere within the space represents Buddha, the enlightened one; the ideal or highest spiritual potential that exists within all being. The second sphere represents dharma, the teaching; the teachings of the Buddha that lead to the path to enlightenment, and the last sphere represents the community; the community of those who have attained enlightenment, who may help a practicing Buddhist to do the same.

Phase 2: Design Layout 1

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Hospitality Design: Arpeggio Hotel

Project Proposal:
Hotels Group lnterntational (HGI) has purchased 1540 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612 (in the downtown area of Oakland). The property currently has a small two-story retail structure. HGI plans to demolish the existing structure, and has hired an architect to develop plans for a new downtown “boutique” hotel. The hotel will primarily serve business guests, but will also serve tourists as well. The hotel will have eight stories, plus a rooftop “sky bar”. The sky bar will provide cocktails, musical entertainment, and light hors d’oeuvres from the restaurant kitchen. The building will have two basement levels for parking.

The hotel’s public spaces and back-of-house operations will include lobby, restaurant, cocktail lounge, ballroom, banquet room, meeting room, health club and executive offices. This hotel will follow an “extended- stay” model, meaning that it target executive business guests who are visiting Oakland for extended periods of time. Therefore, the guestrooms are designed as “second-home” condominium units. A combination of studio and 1-bedroom units will be provided, each with its own kitchen.

Concept:
Oakland, California was the focal point of the West Coast Blues and Jazz Scene. It was piano dominated, accompanied by guitar solos; a combination of jazz blues and jump blues. Jazz music is a language of the emotions and it is not something that can be defined through blunt instruments. Through the expression of curved walls and light emitting from behind, both create an ebb and flow of sound as it walks patrons through the lobby, and towards the restaurant. The lights create movement for the hotel patrons as they guide them through the lobby, down the hallway, towards the courtyard.

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Phase 1: Site Study 1

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Phase: 1: Building study

Phase 1: Sun study 1

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Phase 1: Wind and Solar study 1

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Phase 2: Elevation study 1

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Phase 2: Section Elevation 1

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Phase 3: Lobby render 1

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Phase 3: Restaurant render 1

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Phase 3: Rooftop render 1

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Phase 1: Bubble Diagram 1

Residential Design: Live-Work Studio

138 South Park Street
San Francisco, CA 94107

Project Proposal: Live-Work Studio for installation artist, Ai Weiwei. We explored the relationship between client and designer and stressed the importance of understanding the client’s needs and requirements and how they affect design. Ai Weiwei, born 18 May 1957 in Beijing, is a Chinese contemporary artist, active in sculpture, installation, architecture, curating, photography, film, and social, political and cultural criticism.

Concept: Chess is a powerful game, it takes a level of understanding yourself, your opponent as well as the game itself. Ai Weiwei uses the most aggressive words to point out the Chinese Government’s dark side. He is a chess player in this ongoing and controversial relationship. Transparency is his battleground and he fights for what he believes deserves to be revealed or belong to the public.This is what his fight is about.

Phase 1: Bubble Diagram

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Phase 2: Design Layout 1

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Mix Use Commercial Space: Thesis- Tule Culinary Academy

3745 Bayshore Boulevard
Brisbane, CA 94005

The City of Brisbane has always been a community oriented city, in which much of the city has learned to sustain itself and stand out among the cities in San Mateo County. With its community commitment and unity as one cohesive and functioning unit, Brisbane continues to strive towards future goals of strengthening the bond in this small city. The Coastanoan Indians (Ohlone Indians) were the first inhabitants on the West Coast of California. Their territory extended along the pacific coast from San Francisco County to Big Sur. Their territory also extended inland to the coast mountain ranges. The Coastanoan Indians left many shell mounds along the ocean and bays, indicating locations where separate tribelets once occupied. This group spoke at least eight separate languages and lived in about fifty separate tribelets. The tule reed is a common plant in the wetlands of California and was an important material for the Coastanoan Indians in the manufacturing of their canoes for transportation across the San Francisco Bay. Tule was made into baskets, bowls, mats, hats, clothing, hunting decoys and homes.

The City of Brisbane would like to create a community center focused around culinary education and farming elements alike. This community center will offer cooking classes, an on site farm with farming education, as well as moving the Farmers Market to this location. In addition to the Farmers Market, the city would like to also bring in lunch trucks from Off The Grid on a separate weekly schedule, as not to interrupt the Farmers Market schedule, which in turn will strengthen the concept of ‘Farm-To’Table’. Additionally, there will be marketing and joint efforts to run a sales store, seed library and cafe.

There is one community center located 250 Visitacion Ave, however, it is 2,000 square feet and maximum capacity is 85 persons at one time. This center is usually used for art galas, dance classes, theater classes, weddings, and parties. Looking at the lifestyle of the majority population in this city, there is no food education provided in this city. The restaurants offered in this city, provides patrons the choice of Chinese food, Mexican food, Pizza eateries, Japanese food, small delis and bakeries. There is no option of fresh, farm-to-table restaurants, nor is there educational support in this city for that understanding. Community education and awareness about cooking healthy is also not offered at any location in this city. As the food industry grows and as the city grows, there needs to be a grasp on how, where and why local foods should be purchased. Food education as well as farm-to-table cooking is essential for the health of this city and residents. The proposal for the education section of this community center has been suggested to be a year round program. The farm will also be maintained year round. The Farmers Market will take place every Monday (0800-1400), Wednesday (1000-1400), and Friday (1000-1400), year-round, rain or shine. Additionally, Off The Grid will take place every Thursday (0900- 1500), Saturday (0900- 1500) and Sunday (0900- 1500).

One of the goals of this academy is to provide farm-to-table culinary education. California was the country’s leader in the farm-to-table movement. California producers supply almost 50% of the nation’s fruits and vegetables, shepherding them through a complex distribution system that brings produce from field to plate.Great food begins in the fields and pastures, dairy farms and vineyards. As a student at the Tule Culinary Academy, students will need to know more than culinary technique; they will need to understand how food is grown and raised and what conditions create the best possible ingredients and flavors.this academy will build upon the students’ newfound skills and techniques by connecting their training as cooks to the beginning of the food chain.

The second goal of this academy is to teach and put into practice, agricultural sustainability. Sustainable agriculture integrates three main goals–environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity. A variety of philosophies, policies and practices have contributed to these goals. People in many different capacities, from farmers to consumers, have shared this vision and contributed to it. Despite the diversity of people and perspectives, the following themes commonly weave through definitions of sustainable agriculture.

The third goal of this academy is to promote health and nutrition awareness through the cooking process. By using healthy-cooking techniques, students will be able to reduce fat and calories, and still capture the flavor and retain the nutrients in foods without adding excessive amounts of fat or salt.