Life alive cafe. Cambridge, ma

Sustainably designed - on a shoe-string budget - to enliven and feed thousands daily. We transformed a Blockbuster Video into a bohemian temple for Life Alive’s second location in Central Square with a top floor for cafe “quick service” and a basement level “chakra” lounge so people were invited to comfortably hang out and relax. The historical significance of the building was lovingly uncovered, scraping layers of paints and laminates to highlight original details while we also found exciting ways to infuse the space with Life Alive’s branded color, warmth and living systems. We enrolled local creative artists to make the space truly inimitable and memorable: Nadya Volicer utilized wood found in the building to craft a counter-front mosaic, Keith Wasserman’s collages were amplified into wallpaper to cover a 20 foot wall in the basement, all the while bespoke millwork, lush upholstery, indoor gardens, vintage finds and mission oriented signage throughout the space magnetized and excited all who entered.

Project Scope: Architectural Advisement, Interior Design, Equipment Design, Custom Millwork, Wayfinding, Art Curation, Treasure Hunting