adam's corners cafe
improving the efficiency, comfort, and community of a space.
Role
Design Consultant
Timeline
April 2023 - May 2023
Team
Renee Du, Carlin Dypko, Simone Jacobs, Iason Diogenous
Toolkit
AutoCAD Revit, Adobe Photoshop, On-Site Research, Enscape Rendering
CONTEXT
As part of a collaborative design project, our team was tasked with reimagining Adam's Corner Cafe, a local establishment facing challenges in customer experience and space utilization. This project provided an opportunity to apply our skills in a real-world setting and contribute to our community through thoughtful design.
WHAT WE DID
process overview
• We researched the existing issues through 1) personally visiting as customers and 2) interviewing the cafe owner.
• We brainstormed potential design solutions by collaborating on a Pinterest moodboard and recording our ideas on a shared document.
• We used an iterative design process by seeking client feedback on our initial floorplans and renderings and refining our proposals accordingly.
my contribution
I took charge of creating the floorplan and renderings, translating our collective vision into tangible visual representations. I ensured that our design solutions were accurately depicted in the floorplans and visualizations. I collaborated closely with my teammates, incorporating insights from our research and brainstorming sessions into the spatial designs. My work involved multiple iterations, adapting based on team input and outside feedback.
RESEARCH
understanding cafe customers
first--hand experience
First, we visited the cafe as customers, noting our preferences and pain points.
stakeholder Interview
Then, we had an interview with cafe owner Adam Ciaschi, where we gained valuable insights into our client's goals, concerns, and existing problems.
Exterior appearance.
Traffic congestion at the ordering counter.
Separate breakfast sandwich menu.
Bakery offerings, not listed on menu.
KEY FINDINGS
Through our own experiences and dialogue with Adam, we identified three primary pain points:
1. confusing menu and product display
Disorganized food displays and separate menus for entrees, breakfast sandwiches, & baked goods made it difficult to decipher menu offerings.
2. congestion at cafe entrance
During peak hours, the area in front of the registry becomes crowded and uncomfortable for customers.
3. noise levels
The cafe's noisy ambience hindered comfortable conversation.
4. client goal of community experience
Adam outlined his intention of building a personal place for customers. For example, he purposefully doesn’t provide WiFi at the cafe in order to foster meaningful conversations between people, and he showcases local artists’ works on the cafe’s walls.
IDEATING
our solutions
To streamline customer flow, we established a dedicated pick-up area for online orders and moved the ordering counter deeper into the cafe.
Order and Pick-Up signs, via amazon.com.
To enhance visual communication and build a more personal aesthetic, we implemented an artsy blackboard menu and a strategically placed display case for baked goods.
Order and Pick-Up signs, via amazon.com.
To reduce noise levels without compromising the cafe’s aesthetic, we installed sound-absorbing ceiling panels.
Acoustic panels, via acousticsamerica.com.
To cultivate a warm, inviting ambiance that would foster a sense of community, we used an earth-toned color palette, chose comfortable furniture, and incorporated Adam’s existing artwork gallery concept.
Furniture I selected, from Luxcambra Lighting and Sandler catalogs.
DRAFTING AND RENDERING
bringing the vision to life
Using Revit and Photoshop, I crafted detailed floorplans and renderings to visualize our proposed designs.
Elevation and floorpan views on Revit.
Rendered view of our Adam's Corners Cafe redesign.
REDESIGNING
We compiled our vision and design recommendations into a comprehensive presentation for Adam and his staff.
We then refined our designs based on their feedback.
a major issue— conflicting pathways
Cafe employees identified that our initial layout would cause a traffic conflict between customers in line and staff bringing food from the kitchen. To address this, I had to think outside the box— I brainstormed a way to add a direct access point from the kitchen to the seating area by adding a doorway and installing a swinging door.
Rendered views of the swinging door from the kitchen to seating area.
FINAL POSTER
unifying patterns across the platform
As I was finalizing my designs, I made an important discovery: a fellow designer on a different CU Reviews project had created filter and sort patterns, but included a reset button– a thoughtful detail I had missed in my own work. Even though their feature wasn't live yet, I knew we needed to be consistent. I quickly updated my designs to match.
This moment stuck with me. It reminded me that good design isn't about getting everything perfect the first time – it's about staying open to improvements, even in those final stages. While it's easy to rush toward the finish line, taking a step back to align with other designers' work ultimately creates a better, more cohesive experience.
REFLECTIONS
collaborating closely with a client
This project pushed me in the best ways—from collaborating with a real client to solving problems that mattered to real people. Through field observations and working closely with the team, I saw how design could do more than just make something look better—it could actually make someone’s day easier, their work smoother, or their space more inviting.
designing a physical space felt a lot like designing a digital one.
Even though this project focused on a real-world environment, I found myself drawing on the same instincts I use in interface design: understanding how people move through an experience and creating a flow that anticipates user needs. Whether it’s choosing where to place signage or how to organize a navigation bar, the goal is the same—help people feel confident and oriented.
moving forward, more people-first projects.
I'm excited to keep exploring projects that can shape daily experiences and build community. This experience reminded me that good design isn’t just about what looks good— it’s about what feels good, what works, and what brings people together.
