Case Study:

Alimente

Design Brief: Create a therapeutic nutritional counseling & consulting space that supports all body types, modernizes the Victorian architecture, and creates a sense of playful calm.

The Process

Project Overview

Alimente (alimentos + mente) is a first-of-its-kind nutrition counseling space that intentionally uses space and design to help clients feel safe, comfortable, and cared for as they advocate for themselves and others of food wellness and equity. Alimente is a gathering place for the integration of mind and food with body. It is a space of therapy and a center of action. It is a space of sharing and education and healing. It is a space of curiosity and boldness, while providing comfort & light when being brave feels hard & dark. Alimente is vibrancy and a step toward wholeness.

Design Criteria

This project required us to work with the existing building style and structure to create a warm and inviting space for different cultural identities and body types. The space had a sliding double doors that allowed for it to be partitioned off. This was perfect because the client needed an area that could be both for group gatherings and for B2B consulting clients, as well as a therapeutic space for intimate 1:1 conversations. The client wanted to incorporate influences from their work in Spain and to include art and books in Spanish to further support their bilingual services. We created custom furniture for this space and sourced quality materials to create a chic and resilient commercial space.

Inspirational Mantras

Soothing

Confident

Layered

Healing

Peaceful

Fullness

Curious

Complex

Initial

Moodboard

We collected images that showed spaces of gathering, intimacy, art, flexibility, richness, nourishment, and nature.

Color

Palettes

After presenting multiple color palettes, we landed on a pathway ruled by pink & green  with accents of blue, black, and chrome. We washed the walls in a soft pink (Tailor Tack by Farrow & Ball) and then created structure through all the other furniture, decor, and lighting choices.

Customization

Furniture

Our initial furniture presentations included many "off the shelf" options. What we quickly found is that the unique shape of the rooms and the nature of the client's business objectives required customization. Once we found the low seated vintage Scandinavian chairs to reupholster for the therapy room, we unlocked a pathway toward designing and building custom furniture with Studio Cottingham. The result is a totally functional and cohesive design.

Function

Layout & Flow

It was important for us to help the client identify how to have distinct spaces for policy meetings and client sessions. We spent time doing experience testing to ensure that the layout protects patient privacy, is accessible with mobility adaptation devices, and is intuitive in its flow. We also wanted to provide different types of seating and working platforms to accommodate various use cases.

Customization

Reupholstery

We sourced fabrics for our client that would be resilient for client use, work well with the selected chair structures and padding, and didn't make the pink walls feel too "precious". By testing samples, we found a great options to fashionably withstand the test of time.

Procurement

Lighting

In the Design Brief stage we identified that all fixtures would be polished chrome, black, and/or feature a linen shade. We explored a range of options to find the right visual balance, while also accounting for the functional needs of the space. The result was a mix of chandelier, sconces, table top, and floor lighting.

Final Design

Alimente

The final design is a zhushed up version of some of our earliest ideas. We ended up finding a happy balance between:

welcoming/ work

soft/ hard

colorful/calming

The result is a space that captures our client's personality while also being an inviting place for others.