Tipico Cafe, Buffalo Commercial Building, NY Interior Architecture, Images
Tipico Cafe in Buffalo
Mar 2, 2021
Tipico Cafe
Design: Julia Jamrozik and Coryn Kempster

Driven by a conceptual approach focused on maximizing social interactions, the conscious reuse of found elements and the bespoke application of ordinary materials, this design by Julia Jamrozik and Coryn Kempster gives Tipico Cafe a vibrant identity.

Occupying the main level of a century-old house, the layout was organized with strategic insertions. The primary component of the cafe is the bar, which is comprised of ten reclaimed wood tables that have been grafted together and painted a unifying sky-blue color. The colorful element of the bar unites the space and draws the staff and customers to a shared experience. On the service side, the long bar encourages the engagement between staff and customers beyond the initial transaction, while responding to the functional needs of different work zones for the baristas.
On the customer side, the undulating profile of the bar further creates opportunities for customers to interact with one another by providing places to sit for individuals and groups of various sizes, without clearly delineating where one zone starts and another begins. The swiveling bar stools help to promote this open-ended approach, allowing individuals to move their seated body towards others to perhaps engage in conversations they did not expect to have. Thus, testing the comfort levels of occ...