2017 Best of Design Award for Hospitality: Broken Rice
Architect: Undisclosable
Location: Denver, Colorado
Broken Rice is a fast-casual restaurant serving traditional Asian street food with a modern feel. It was designed as a roll-out with recognizable brand identity and efficiency in construction that would also produce experiential quality. Inspired by Asian landscapes, colors, and textures, Broken Rice adopts the hexagonal geometry of Vietnamese tiles, recognizable silhouettes from the region, and repetitive objects seen in Asian street markets—visible through screens lining both sides of the space. The effect is that of looking out onto an abstract vista of cultural references. The use of color, inspired by the sunset, is deployed throughout to create false perspectives, produce depth in the space, and facilitate intimate dining conditions within the banquette cubbies.
“The congruous nature of the ambitions and the execution makes the small restaurant quite special. The warm material selection and element lighting is fun and approachable.” —Emily Bauer, landscape architect, Bjarke Ingels Group (juror)
Client:
Startup Restaurant
Interior Architecture:
Undisclosable
Architect of Record:
Nama Partners
Structural Engineering:
Performance Engineering
Honorable Mention
Project: Wilshire Grand Tower Complex
Architect: AC Martin
Place: Los Angeles, California
The Wilshire Grand Tower Complex comprises a 900-room hotel sitting atop 18 office floors. Currently the tallest building west of the Mississippi, it offers sweeping views of downtown Los Angeles and is an iconic addition to the skyline.