Olive Ave

Once a gas station, this site has been reimagined as a vibrant diner that reconnects with its urban surroundings. The new layout centers on a clear entrance axis, with kitchen and service areas discreetly organized to the rear. Two patios define the project, bringing light, air, and greenery into the space while offering shaded refuge beneath newly planted trees.

At the street front, formerly unused forecourts were transformed into public seating areas, extending the restaurant into the neighborhood and softening the transition between city and dining experience. Inside and out, a variety of seating options accommodate different groups and occasions, creating a balanced environment that feels both lively and welcoming.

The interior is conceived as a bright, flexible space where the bar, tables and booth seating are arranged around the patios so that greenery is part of the experience from anywhere in the dining room. Large glazed surfaces blur the line between inside and outside and, in the milder months, allow the restaurant to work almost as an open-air space.

The materials combine references to the site's past with a contemporary language: exposed metal structures, concrete and wood surfaces, and warm lighting that changes the character of the place from day to night. The landscaping, with low-maintenance native species, provides shade and freshness and turns the sidewalks into a natural extension of the restaurant.

The result is a restaurant that blends architecture, landscape, and community, turning a once-industrial site into a place of gathering and connection.