Blue Table Chocolates Workshop and Retail Space

When confronted with the brief to design a space for an artisan chocolatier, 780 square feet in size, the Los Angeles–based studio Arch&Type didn’t focus on enhancing the food alone but on the craftsmanship and consumption of that food. Rather than something as obvious as painting cocoa beans on the wall, designers Seth Amman and Adam McCullough considered chocolate’s emotional and physiological effects, then worked backward to conjure up those feelings through material and space. Inspired by client Ben Johnson, who showed me a drool-worthy image of untempered crystallized chocolate, all molten and silky and flowy, it started with translating some of the feelings one associate with chocolate—comfort, mystery, warmth, decadence—into the physical space

The result is a warm, textured atmosphere created through the palette of soft matte white oak, subtle lime-wash paint, large aggregate concrete, gilded mirrored metal, and gold. Brass touches on the casework and wall bases similarly mirror the appearance of the parametric river ceiling. These elements combine to form a cohesive and luxurious experience, enhanced by the encounter of savoring a truffle that melts away to reveal a complex flavor profile

Golden ceiling tiles

Much like the discipline required to write a sonnet, the design process embraced its constraints, turning limitations into creative opportunities. Rather than lamenting the costs of custom casework and ceiling tiles, the designers celebrated local resources: in-house craftspeople, the University at Buffalo’s SMART fabrication factory, and a local metalworker. This strategy did much more than reduce the bottom line; it fostered some of the iconic design elements of the space. For instance, the ceiling went from a highly seamless mirrored plane to a sculptural piece much more attuned to the original inspiration for the project. Likewise, a glass wall went to a stud wall with a large window and frameless door, and intended casework went to custom tables.

Johnson, a repeat client, offered flexibility in construction to both everyday and an extraordinary methodology. The general contractor handled walls, electrical items, lighting, and installations of custom items. McCullough subjected the rough oak planks to custom millwork together with Amman’s father. Buffalo Niagara Weldworks produced the mirrored dishes and brass kick-plates. Amman worked with peers and students to model a ceiling designed parametrically. This gave it the efficacy of robotic techniques combined with handcrafting details.

The student interns assembled, fireproofed, and finished the ceiling tiles at the SMART fabrication factory, proving fire safety for municipal code review. Through this multidisciplinary approach, it becomes a space underlined by an artisanal chocolatier’s presence in an urban storefront. From the handcrafted white-oak furniture to the precision-honed mirror dishes and the dramatic ceiling, they synergized into a space that celebrated chocolate and architectural craft. It is a storefront built by many hands and using many methods. It is a testament to the spirit of Buffalo, born from the local resources and innovative methods harnessed by Blue Table Chocolates.

Project Info: