American Institute of Architects/Los Angeles Unveils 2008 Restaurant Design Awards

The AIA/Los Angeles announced winners of the judges’ choice, as well as the people’s choice, in the 2008 Restaurant Design Awards, marking the fourth year of the AIA/LA’s much-anticipated awards program that recognizes the very best in restaurant, café, and lounge design.

AIA/LA received over forty submissions in the three categories of RESTAURANT, CAFE/BAR & LOUNGE/NIGHTCLUB. The esteemed jury sequestered themselves in a room for five hours, pouring over digital submissions and graphic collateral material. After evaluating in detail each project’s design concept, operational layout and overall packaging, they identified the following list of winners:

RESTAURANT

Blue Velvet by Tag Front (Jury Winner)

Katsuya Glendale by Starck Network/DesignARC (Jury Winner)

Mozza Osteria by Kelly Architects, Inc. (Jury Winner & People’s Choice Winner)

CAFÉ/BAR

FOOD by Fleetwood Fernandez Architecture (Jury Winner)

Kitchen 24 by Spacecraft/Torres Architects (People’s Choice Winner)

LAMILL COFFEE by Formation Association/Rubbish Interiors (Jury Winner)

LOUNGE/NIGHTCLUB

Elevate Lounge by Tag Front (Jury Winner)

oneworld Lounge at LAX by Gensler (People’s Choice Winner)

The distinguished jury included: restaurateur and chef extraordinaire Joachim Splichal of the Patina Restaurant Group; architect David Montalba, AIA who is known for designing I Dream of Cake, Kara’s Cupcakes, and the sumptuous Monique Lhuillier boutiques in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles; AIGA/LA Fellow and award-winning designer Michael Hodgson of Ph.D; and Los Angeles Magazine senior writer and devoted foodie Margot Dougherty.

“We evaluated projects for their excellence both from an aesthetic perspective but also from an operational standpoint,” explained Joachim Splichal. “A good restaurant, café, or lounge must be supremely functional behind the curtain of design.”

“It was refreshing to see how good, smart design can really give a project with a limited budget or of a smaller scale such added mileage and value,” added Margot Dougherty.

“There is definitely an elevated sense of awareness for restaurant design in this city,” remarked David Montalba, AIA. “We’re seeing some pretty phenomenal spaces out there.”

Michael Hodgson agreed. “With the quality of restaurant design in this city, we hope that more and more designers will think of the Restaurant Design Awards as a great platform from which to promote their work.”

“It’s always so interesting to see if and how our jury’s esteemed opinions differ with those of the public,” adds Carlo Caccavale, AIA/LA Associate Director.