Higher Education:

The RNA Café

University of Colorado at Boulder

A poorly used building lobby was transformed into this espresso bar and café. The resulting café has become a popular place for student and faculty interaction. Pelsue Architecture designed a fun, attractive retail space within the constraints of the existing building and budget. The area is at a crossroads within the large science building, requiring that exits be maintained within the renovation. Fixed seating defines the seating area and maintains the exits for the building. Colorful sound absorbing panels were designed to diminish the noise and introduce a playful color element within the building. The underutilized lobby area is now a busy seating area for the café.

The coffee shop is operated by an outside vendor, requiring the design to meet the needs of the vendor, the University, and the State Health department. Pelsue Architecture worked with all of these entities to achieve this successful result.