University of California—Berkeley, Cafe 3 Service Remodel

Berkeley, California

Firm

Mesher Shing McNutt

Client

University of California--Berkeley

Area

18,000 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$5,000,000

Completion Date

01/2007

The approach to remodeling this residential dining hall was to recognize and celebrate the diversity of the student body by creating an international dining experience. It features a variety of flexible and compelling spaces where students can dine, study and socialize throughout the day and evening.
The Cafe 3 sign just inside the main lobby sets the international theme with raised side-lighted metal panels in the form of continents overlaid on a darker black steel background.
The servery and dining spaces feature a modern interpretation of the Joglo—the central space or heart of the Indonesian home. The Joglo is the focal point for the international cooking island and architecturally becomes the space modulator for organizing the dining, lounge and servery areas.
Featured in the open kitchen below the decorative steel hood that is suspended from the Joglo are the stir-fry cooking island, noodle bar and sushi counter. To one side are large bamboo communal dining tables, and on the other a soft seating area used for both lounge and dining.
Backlighted glass walls above the main serving line feature a kinetic lighting system that continuously changes color, giving energy and motion to the central dining lounge and servery spaces. Six-foot cylinder light fixtures create scale and warm lighting in this two-story space.
To the left of the entry is the cyber cafe with bar-height tables and stools, raised bench seating and plasma TVs, followed by a retail store and a soft seating lounge with an entertainment wall featuring a 60-foot plasma screen.