LOCATION: Santa Monica, California
SIZE: 2,400 SF
BDG SERVICES: Architecture, Interiors, Kitchen Design
COLLABORATORS: Mystery, Allison Kunath (mural artist)
PROGRAM: Fast-casual restaurant with bakery and bar
AWARDS: Architecture MasterPrize for Hospitality Design
THE GABLES RESTAURANT
The Gables is inspired by the story of a local Santa Monica Beach Club of the same name that was never fully completed in the 1920s. Working with Mystery, an award-winning Branding/Design agency, BDG’s aim was to create the feeling of an independent community eatery, that represented its locality in beach-side Santa Monica. BDG used a range of materials to give a contrast of everyday finishes, such as white-washed wood, glazed tiles and mid-century air-bricks with aspirational touches of brass, along with poured concrete for the flooring and marble for the counter-top.
The BDG-designed concrete bricks around the bar and takeout area were inspired by those overlooking Santa Monica beach and the design of the gate was inspired by the gates in Palisades Park. A vertical garden flanks the patio wall, with cascading greenery adding color and texture to the restaurant’s Santa Monica beachy aesthetic.
The all-day eatery was conceived by restaurateur Kevin Lazan and led by Chef Vicki Fan Matsusaka, creating a curated, Southern Californian all-day menu of healthy plates and comfort classics. Further celebrating the Santa Monica lifestyle, a large wall mural by local artist Allison Kunath depicts bicyclists and skateboarders meandering across the dining room. To improve the functionality of contemporary delivery services, a modern take-out window provides a place for delivery apps to pick-up orders without disrupting the dine-in experience.
