Color is far more than mere surface decoration, it is a strategic design language that defines circulation, influences human behavior, and creates long-lasting emotional resonance within built spaces. In this quarterly edition, titled "The Color Edition," Archie Bolden examines how hues carry mood, identity, and narrative depth across hospitality and commercial venues globally. The issue also marks a major milestone for the studio with the opening of its newest U.S. office in Florida, extending its reach across North America, Australia, South America, and the Middle East.
Rustic Origins Reimagined: Elk Espresso
Designed as an integral component of Gold Coast culture, this second café iteration balances familiar rustic roots with a fresh, contemporary aesthetic. An exposed ceiling sprayed in emerald green creates an overhead canopy effect, while brass planter boxes allow greenery to cascade down textured walls. The interior features raw concrete forms softened by pastel green pops, brass details, and polished coffee counter zones that blur the boundaries between interior architecture and nature.
Urban Industrial Scale & Spatial Branding: BRASH Coffee
Spanning 1,400 square feet, BRASH at The Works represents the brand's fifth and largest specialty coffee roaster venue in Atlanta. The spatial design transforms graphic identity into an immersive interior gesture through expansive walls bathed in iconic BRASH blue. High ceilings, exposed mechanical framework, white grid tiles, communal seating layouts, and abundant natural light create an open environment structured around a central coffee bar stage.
Playful Brand Expressions: Cheeky Poke (Garden City & West End)
Garden City Location
Features vibrant cobalt blue floors, white-and-gold counters, curved plaster partitions, and lagoon-side indoor/outdoor dining areas that evoke an oasis-like retreat within a retail precinct.
West End Location
Anchors an open kitchen, poke bowl assembly line, and bar at the center of the plan. Minimalist forms are elevated via subtle archways, textured concrete, warm brass accents, custom tile setouts, and an illuminated monkey wall graphic.
Minimalist Greek Coastal Aesthetic: Stavros
Interpreted through a lens of clean, modern Greek restraint, Stavros avoids excessive ornamentation to prioritize sharp architectural lines and tactile contrasts. Soft, enveloping blue velvets and striped upholstery balance stark concrete forms, high ceilings, glass, and steel framework. Inky ceramic crockery and ornamental ouzo bottle displays serve as subtle cultural cues.
Narrative-Driven Design & Personal History: Lola Coffee
Inspired by its namesake, an electric and memorable family figure, Lola Coffee translates personal history into a raw yet refined interior. A black-and-white portrait mural painted high on a raw concrete wall establishes a focal point above a long banquet bench in vintage red and patterned fabrics. Custom octagonal shelving, timber accents, and crisp white tilework create a warm, character-rich neighborhood gathering space.
