Community Cafe

The activities within the space originally separated the kitchen as a staff only area, however providing diners with an open kitchen increased the sensory experiences of cooking and eating, and provided space where community workshops can be held.

Ensuring the layouts were suitable for wheelchair users impacted the initial layouts, altering the number of tables and chairs, the spacings between furniture and the orientation of the central kitchen.

The layout below tested the placement of seating across the windows facing onto the Community Garden. This made the space between tables and the toilet/storage area tight, creating a corridorlike pathway. The final layout retains maximum symmetry across the space, making it feel more open.

Aligning the kitchen with the entryway doors emphasised the Cafe's function in inviting people to cook together.

The initial domed pendants chosen for the cafe obstructed views between the dining area and central kitchen, and so were replaced with more flat Nunoko lights.

Testing the proportions of new windows, with the addition of shelving for spices

Testing the addition of new glazed openings, using the space of an existing doorway. These were removed from the final design as they distracted from the proportions of original windows.