The OC Mix Mart

The OC Mix Mart

by Jennifer Shaffer

 

The OC Mix Mart was created in 2010 by the Burnham Group USA. It is like a giant indoor bazaar of individual stores selling different wares. Andrea and Russell Young wanted to create an area that was more unique and they did just that with the giant warehouse building for just pennies on the dollar. My friend Sarah Dowdell was one of their first proprietors; I used to buy clothes from her out of their home. Back then her store was called Birdstreet. Her store at the OC Mix Mart is called Deer Lovely.

When you walk into “The Mix” you see that the floor is large, expansive polished concrete throughout.  Their main sitting area has two long grey fabric sofas facing one another and two large chair and a half’s flank either side of the sofas. It creates a very home-like environment.  Around the sofa sitting area there are smaller café tables with chairs and of course what hipster place doesn’t have a huge community table?  They have one!

The long rectangular coffee table looks like it is made from reclaimed wood that is pallet-like. There are several oversized chartreuse pendant lamps randomly hung from scaffolding directly above the living room-type area.  Everything about the warehouse is exposed. There are no areas that are dry walled except maybe between the shops.  The whole building is surrounded with large glass and aluminum windows.  There is a large glass garage door style opening off of the tea room, that opens to a partial wooden gazebo that makes the outdoor seating for the tea room private.  The cubicle-style stores are separated by thin walls that are paneled with what looks like reclaimed wood.  The fronts of the stores are large glass sliders.  I love how this looks, you can see products and the natural sunlight from the windows makes everything visible. There is another large sitting area on the other side of the warehouse with pleather sofas and more reclaimed coffee tables. The outside of the property is a sight to see.  It is landscaped with mostly drought tolerant succulents, but there is some tropical vegetation as well.  The walkways are gravel in some areas and concrete in others. They are juxtaposed and set in asymmetrical fashion which makes the landscaping so interesting.  Outside there is also a large sitting area with giant Adirondack chairs, stainless steel cage tables and a large fire pit filled with concrete balls.  The red umbrellas add a dash of color to the outdoor area without overwhelming it.  There are also long wooden benches for additional seating outside. 

The Portola Coffee has the most interesting lighting.  The antique style glass pendants compliment the antique coffee makers they use the brew the coffee.  The green accents of the coffee shop coordinate with the large chartreuse pendant lamps in the adjacent living room area.  The tea shop has a grouping of three lights that are created using top hats at their front counter.  The tea shop is also painted in a dark grey and Ferrari yellow.   It stands out in decorating as most of the “Mart Mix is neutral and natural in color.  It also has a long community table surrounded by the same Ferrari yellow chairs.  The cheese shop takes advantage of its large glass partitions and downplays interior by using mostly lighter recycled type woods to display their cheeses. 

I think the Burnham’s did an excellent job in turning a large dirty warehouse into a functional indoor mall.  I go there regularly for coffee, tea or a visit with my friend at her shop.  It feels welcoming, and not stuffy because the materials that are used are casual, and mostly reclaimed.  When it rains I know I’ll be comfortable inside. When it’s sunny I always know I can enjoy the outdoor area, have and iced tea and let the kiddos run around.

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Cucina Enoteca

Sustainable design restaurant

Cucina Enoteca 

By: Nancy Wei and Judy (jungin jang)

 

 

 

Cucina Enoteca is located in Irvine Spectrum, which opened in December 2011. This is an Italian restaurant that  interiors include a modern kitchen combined with the history and comfort of an old rustic country farmhouse. The restaurant is two stories with high ceilings on the ground floor and an open-air deck on the second story that overlooks the surrounding neighborhood.  Whimsical expressions of Italian classics coupled with a strong Californian influence. A diverse menu of affordable dishes, mostly below $20, comprising of the freshest local produce, and organic and sustainable products.

    The owner Tracy Borkum is also the head designer of this restaurant. Borkum collaborates on the design with craftspeople and artists mostly in local Southern California for the customized furniture and décor. We can feel the strong passion for sustainable designs, green materials and environmentally-efficient projects in this restaurant. Every product provide comfortable atmosphere that offer a sense of history for the goods consumed there. Through carefully-considered interior design elements,  Cucina offers the conscious consumer a new sense of the goods they choose to purchase and support. 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 There are two walls that use recycled wood for coverings. But this is not a simple wall covering job, the recycled wood is formed into tiles giving both walls two different layers of texture. Achieving more movement and activity, they choose a blackboard on the top of the wall. They can use chalk to paint on it, it’s easy to change and clean. The whole process doesn’t waste too much resources. The ceiling is the original architecture ceiling, Tracy Borkum wants to keep the industrial ceiling in tact. Floor is terrazzo which is one of the original recycled products available. As green and sustainable architecture becomes increasingly important, terrazzo’s characteristics of longevity and use of recycled materials remain strong assets. Especially the the shoes molding decoration on one wall is a focal point in this restaurant. For that design, Borkum collected the shoes forms at flea markets and hung them on the wall. 

     Not only does Cucina sell delicious italian food with wine — they go a step further with an interior replete with sustainably-designed furnishings. You can buy most of their furnitures online. Items for sale include chairs, dining tables and pendants light. They  are all designed by local designers.

    The  white chairs are made by faux leather and burlap which are from used coffee burlap sacks. It’s designed by Borkum and made by Chula Vista fabricator Javier Estrada. Each one is different and unique, no two chairs are exactly the same and each one make for interesting and inspiring art piece. The dining tables are bronze topped with turned recycled wood legs and made by Del Mar artist Jennifer Price. The vastly different materials create very interesting texture and contrast. The smooth metal top helps with resisting heat and ease of cleaning. The wooden legs help the table fit in with the rustic style of the restaurant.The orange wire Bend chairs are designed by Los Angeles designer Gaurav Nanda. It made from recycled iron. The bar stool is made by a walnut wood and recycled metal frame. walnut is a soft wood and over time will show inherent wear. Other outdoor chairs all use recycled metal, they will create a rustic feeling. The Small Lotus Floor Chandelier is made from individually hand-cut capiz shells, edged in silver metal and assembled like a stained-glass window to create these blooming lotus chandeliers.The shells came from California beaches. Local products, easy  to transport, which is sustainable.

    The Cucina described the playful look, including a colorful mural by graffiti artist Tokayo, as a mix of old and new. In doing this, Borkum got addicted to flea markets and have met some interesting local artists. Tracy Borkum made a conscious effort to choose sustainable materials and products and made from local market and artists rather than buying something from a catalog. So every design is unique and special. The reaction from customer has been very positive. You can't stop turning your head to find new interesting things in this restaurant, so you can realize the designer accomplished something unique and wonderful by sustainable materials and products.



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UCSD Health Sciences Research Facility

UCSD Health Sciences

Biomedical Research Facility in La Jolla

By Dylan Ford

 

            UCSD has a new 196,000-square-foot Health Science Biochemical Research Facility, which is expected to receive LEED Platinum Certification.  The first thing you notice, once entering into this seven story interaction space, is the cast-in-place concrete staircase.  Concrete was a great decision for the staircase because this durable material doesn’t need too much maintenance.  To keep its appearance looking new I would make sure to seal it every 9 months or so and use mild cleaning agents while mopping.  This staircase includes frosted glass panels with LED, lighted handrails.  The LED lighted glass panels are done in a vertical repetitious pattern which can be seen throughout the lobby, drawing your eyes up to the top floor.   This concept is aesthetically appealing and adds a good variation of contrast in textures to this space.  As for the materials used, LED lighting is the way to go, with its minimal electrical usage and variations in colors.  The glass is a good material because it is low maintenance and upkeep, however it may be more susceptible to scratches and possible breaking if hit forcefully.  Putting both of these materials together creates a nice light source and a barrier wall for this staircase.   

 

 The balconies are enclosed with rift-sawn white oak wood panels and guardrails.  This type of manufactured wood is great for straight flat surfaces and has an interesting natural look to it.  Unfortunately, this style of manufactured wood is less sustainable on the environment because it produces more waste in the manufacturing process than other styles of sawn woods.  Due to the waste, this makes it a more costly material to purchase.

  The lobby is covered in gray-tone granite tile and California chestnut hardwood flooring. These floors will be plenty strong enough to withstand heavy foot traffic and the color will show less dirt and ware throughout the years.  The Granite is a nice natural product which is more expensive than other possible floor materials, but is a good choice for this space.  The California Chestnut wood chosen is known to be extremely hard and comes in a rich cinnamon brown color, which is perfect for the lobby of this building.  All of the building materials were selected for low-VOC emissions and recycled content. Even majority of the wood used in this project was FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified. This building was constructed with great materials and products which aren’t just environmentally-friendly, but are also strong enough to handle wares and tares of a college campus.

REFERENCES:

http://www.greenmtwood.com/california-chestnut-flooring.html

http://flooring.about.com/od/Flooring-Pros-And-Cons/a/An-In-Depth-Look-At-Concrete-   Flooring.htm 

http://www.meisterloglumber.com/mll/rift-quarter-sawn-hardwood-lumber

http://www.mccarthy.com/ftp-ucsd-health-sciences-biomedical-research-facility

 

 

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The Green Building, Louisville, Kentucky

The Green Building

By Norma Moralez

The Green Building is located in Louisville, Kentucky also known as New Louisville in the East Market of Louisville. It first opened its doors in 2008 after a little bit over a year and a half of remodeling. Owners Augusto and Gill Holland first began remodeling when they decided to become the first commercial building in Louisville to go for LEED platinum certification. The 14,000 square feet building, originally a dry good store, was built 110 years ago and now serves as a café, gallery, record label, bookstore and much more. Augusto and Gill took advantage as of much reusable material as they could from the original building into the new building. They as well incorporated many renewable energy resources.

When the Hollands’ talked about wanting to be the first “green” building in Kentucky, they meant it. The Green Building is “green” from its flooring made out of ceiling substrates to its cylindrical ice storage system to its recycled jean insulation. They reused as much as they could from the old building. New furniture was made out of the old framing of the building. Also, the flooring is made out of substrates from the old ceiling and previous used flooring. Original blocks that were taken out of the building were reused and placed throughout. When they used cinder blocks, they opted for “Mineshaft blocks” which are made out of coal slag, Portland cement and are solid.

The building has this incredible cylindrical ice storage system that freezes during the peak hours of the day and it produces cold air. This system generates the cool air only at a fraction of the normal cost of energy. It also has 12 geothermic walls that provide renewable energy to heat up the building during winter. Energy recovery units are in the highest and in the lowest points of the building to redistribute the warm and cool air throughout the entire building. The Green Building has a solar powered roof. It has 81solar panels that outperform Kentucky’s energy codes by 65 percent. It also contains 3 collection tanks that collect storm water and is used for irrigation in the courtyard.

 

The architects of this LEED building, created a 40 foot lobby that provides large quantities of natural lighting to the inside. The artificial lighting integrated turns on when the level of natural light is too high or when the level is low. The way the building was designed helps reduce excessive brightness caused by its height and its angle of the building.

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Innocean Worldwide

Innocean Worldwide

by Shubin + Donaldson

By: Luisa Villatoro

 

Designed in the beautiful shores of Huntington Beach, the Innocean Worldwide building it was designed with a Modern, Masculine and Industrial Aesthetic.  This is the home of one of Hyundai’s US subsidiaries, and Advertising Agency.   The space includes a neutral palette with small bright orange and blue accents.  As you enter the building the focal point is the ocean-blue reception desk with the bold INNOCEAN letters on a black metal panel.  The space is divided between formal business, conference center and meeting to the informal creative spaces such as the cafeteria designed with a contemporary loft style.  The striking use of wood provides a great balance with the cold, masculine metal beams and acoustic ceiling.  The overall architectural theme looks remarkable – in the coming blogs weeks we will be taking a closer look at the material and product selections in the different spaces of this building. 

I am going to take quick look at some of the materials utilized based on the references in the publication, Interior Design Magazine, May 2011, written by Edie Cohen.  When I reference a particular material manufacture that reflects a substitute materials as the exact specifications are not provided for the project (and usually confidential, proprietary information).  With this said, the critique of the materials in no way reflect the actual design choices by Shubin + Donaldson, but are only a reference to materials and specifications inspired by their design.

Flooring – Reclaimed American Oak used throughout the office.  Oak is and it is an excellent choice of species in wood flooring.  It has a pronounced grain, is hard and durable-suitable for a commercial application with high traffic areas.  Cleaning and Maintenance is the key to maintaining the oak floor beautiful.  The building is next to the ocean so humidity may be a factor.  Leaving some expansion room at the seam of the wall is important as the wood will expand and contract.  In addition, a good sealant is important to repel salinity and to withstand the aftercare of the floor.  Considering hardwood was specified, then it is important that a plywood base be installed/glued down over the concrete floor.  The Hardwood planks are then nailed to the plywood for better resistance.  Inevitable there will be scratches and dings to the floor, however since the wood was reclaimed, the usage will only add to the character.   Armstrong offers a wide plank oak surface, however the commercial application offers a 10 year warranty, http://www.armstrong.com/flooring/hardwood/natural-oak-5-in-solid-hardwood-wide-plank-SAS501/floor-133333.asp

Acoustical Tack board - Surfaces the walls of some meeting rooms.  Acoustics are a prime choice when it comes to minimizing noise in an open floor plan such as in this space.  The tack-board surfaces are a clever way to provide privacy to a meeting room, noise isolation, as well as a surface on which to ideate, brainstorm, and present concepts.  Assuming that cork was utilized, it provides a medium to high noise reduction coefficient (NRC) of .3 to .7.  Acoustic tack board surfaces are good solution for reducing noise and adding interest to a room. 

Reception desk – Utilizing a bright blue resin on top of the desk, provided and hot rolled clear coated steel on interior creates a unique focal point at the entrance of the building.  Resin is an excellent option when creating unique pieces in an interior.  An interesting property is that light can bounce off of it, or artificial light can be lit though it.

Aluminum Chairs utilized in the café/break area – These chairs are both light and durable.  luminum is a great metal as it does not easily oxidize and is very lightweight but strong.   Since almost no maintenance is required and they don’t oxidize these chairs will be excellent to maintain clean.  The only con to Aluminum is that it scratches easily.

Flank tables with quartz composite tops – Flank tables provide a modern aesthetic, in addition quartz is a durable material and it is also manufactured from scrap stones such as granite and/or marble.  It is a much more durable than the natural wood surface and provides a more sophisticated/high end look than a laminate.  They are an easy to clean surface and don’t stain easily.

Wool upholstered banquette used in the café/break area – Utilizing 100% wool in by the ocean is not a good choice because wool tends to ‘bunch up’ when the environment becomes too humid.  If the wool is combined with polyesters or bamboo, which may be the case for these banquettes, it is a good solution as it can be very durable and provide an excellent texture for seating. 
Sources:
Cohen, Edie.  Pacific Rim In an office by Shubin + Donaldson, Innocean Worldwide melds South Korea with Southern California.  Interior Design Magazine.  May 2011. http://www.interiordesign.net/projects/detail/1557-pacific-rim/

Godsey, Lisa. Interior Design Materials and Specifications. Fairchild Publications.  Copyright 2008

Oak Flooring:  http://www.armstrong.com/flooring/hardwood/natural-oak-5-in-solid-hardwood-wide-plank-SAS501/floor-133333.asp

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Orange County Great Park Visitors Center

Orange County Great Park Visitors Center

 Irvine, Calif.

by: Veronica Lepe

 

 

http://www.thorntontomasetti.com/news/spotlight/189-orange_county_great_park_visitors_center

The City of Irvine issued a contract for the construction of the Orange County Great Park Western Sector Development Plan in early 2012. The project was completed in mid-2013. The project included construction of a Visitor Center Pavilion, South Lawn and parking lot improvements. 

The Visitor Center’s most dominant interior material used was wood. The design utilized wood slats on the ceiling and walls. I think this was a great material to choose because the park is themed around gardens and sustainability. Wood brings the outside in using natural colors and materials.  

South Elevation View and Ceiling

The next dominant feature was the wall to wall and ceiling to ceiling windows. (See photo above.) Again, I believe this was a great selection because the view on the west side is the acres of the green park and hot air balloon the city has an attraction.     

On the north wall, the most interesting wall, the design incorporated exposed CMU walls and an orange resin panel. I believe this successfully utilized a trendy style in which the construction elements are exposed and used as a decorative feature. I also like that orange was a part of the color selections because of Orange County.

The first material I noticed when entering the center was the floor finish. It was a terrazzo finish. Although, I believe this was a great choice in concerns with longevity and color, I don’t believe the installation was clean. I could see cracks in the floor and the building is only about a year old.

Even the materials as decorative features on the exterior of the building were interesting. The design used “El Toro” rocks to stack and form a wall. Instead of using a mortar or cement to keep them in place, a fencing material was used to wrap them. My understanding is that these rocks were recycled when grading the site for construction.

 

Overall, I believe that selections of the materials were successful in creating not only a simple yet cohesive design but applied careful considerations of the occupancy the center may withstand in the future.

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LEMONADE, Newport Beach

LEMONADE

by:Bon Abedeen / Patrick Chen

 

The concept is best described as Seasonal Southern California Comfort Food in a fast-casual cafeteria setting.

 

Hold onto your hats! The buzz has been consistent— This one feels bigger; more important, more universal, less trendy, and at the tip of the innovation triangle. Like the iPad of food, Southern California restaurant Lemonade is where all the developments of the last decade have come together to form one world-beater of a product. Maybe we are overstating it, but we don’t think so. We love Lemonade and think it is the future of food.

 

Lemonade was founded by chef Alan Jackson to “capture the L.A. spirit of adventure about food,” according to its website. The company bio goes on to state that Lemonade has “an appreciation of the freshest seasonal ingredients, and a desire to reinterpret familiar dishes with unexpected twists. The food is for people who care about what they eat. It’s clean, healthy, and inventive.” In layman’s terms, it is a modern take on a classic 1950s high-school cafeteria. Everyone can relate to the cafeteria because everyone went to school, and Lemonade has recreated it with better experience, while maintaining the emotional essence. The best part of this fast casual concept is that shoppers can eat quick, yet healthy in this grab and go lunch   and dinner venue.

Upon entering the restaurant Patrick and I noticed how clean everything looked. The interior was fresh, modern and inviting. The smell was wonderful and we could see that it was cafeteria style where we would get a tray and go on down the line to choose what we wanted. We noticed that each item in the line had a small sign/label informing each particular food item is as well as a symbol stating if its gluten free or vegan which is very helpful to health conscious people. Securing our spot at the table, we were able to then relax and take in the surroundings. Lemonade offered quite a familiar essence about it and it somehow reminded us of our childhood. Looking around the cafe we noticed that the tables were made out of DuPont Corian. Specially engineered to be both visually stunning and long lasting commercial product of surpassing beauty. This is seen is a virtually seamless solid-surface flowing through the kitchen, bath countertops and back-splashes, intricate inlays and textures, brilliant color and lighting effects — it’s all incorporated in a number of complex compound angles, curves and vertical surfaces.





Reflected 3form Wall - Chroma Vitamin C



Additionally, there were some truly phenomenal plastic looking square tiles on the wall. When we looked a little closer however, we noticed they were made completely of sustainable gypsum wall tile. We were captured by the restaurant’s decor: sunflowers, colorful chairs, tables, pots, pans, etc. The interior design is sophisticated, chic, fresh, modern and inviting with an analogous color scheme, and the use of ‘lemon slice shaped’ light fixture: picture perfect for any occasion.

Lemonade is a fast-casual modern cafeteria-style eatery, the brand is young, hip, colorful, and crisp, with elements of retro Americana that made us feel right at home. There is an Emotional Connection. To start, Lemonade has realized that a great hospitality experience has as much to do with how the business connects to its customers culturally as it does with what is being served. In the post-industrial age, having a great product is not enough; the emotional connection is paramount. This factor is a huge differentiator between a moderately successful company and a cultural juggernaut like Starbucks. Lemonade has the potential to be like Starbucks because the brand and experience are as good as the product. Everyone can relate to the cafeteria because everyone went to school, and Lemonade has recreated it with better food, service, and seating, while maintaining the emotional essence.

Stainless Steel Drop Down Ceiling
with LED recessed lighting

Recycled Wood Sittings
Stainless Steel Food Container

Lemonade features an open kitchen in the back so that customers can see their professional chefs creating artisan quality food and then moving it to the cafeteria-style trays on display.

 

The restaurant offers an abundance of seating in the bright, modern 3,800 square-foot space, which includes both indoor and outdoor seating, just steps away from the Fashion Island movie theater. We really liked the architecture and interior of Lemonade. We feel the materials work well and will hold up well over the years.

Next time you are here at Fashion Island, stop by Lemonade after a day of shopping or before/after catching a move to enjoy some delicious contemporary California cuisine.

Did we say how fascinated we are with the gigantic macaroon?  LOL!

 

Interior & Materials

  - Reflected 3Form Wall - Chroma Vitamin C

- Wood Panel Grille Ceiling

- Stainless Steel Drop Down Ceiling

- LED Recessed Lighting

- LED Pendant Light

- Stainless Steel Counter Top

- Recycled Wood Menu Sign

- Yellow Painted Structural Column

- Polished Concrete Flooring

- Sustainable Gypsum Wall Tile

- Green Wall Wall Paper

 

 

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