As one of the world’s first modern skyscrapers, Chicago’s Monadnock Building is an architectural icon. So when asked to redesign Intelligentsia’s ground-floor café, the team seized an opportunity to celebrate the building’s history. The freestanding bar, outfitted in bronze hardware to complement original finishes, is built away from the walls and above the marble floor to keep the structure’s integrity intact. The counters and back wall are specially finished in stainless steel to mimic the aluminum panels in the original corridors, one of the first places to use the material as a finished design element.  A frameless-mirrored back wall visually extends the space and ties it to materials used in the historic lobby, making the café feel both familiar and expansive.

While material ties create a sense of place inside the new coffee shop, modern detailing and technology help reenergize the storied space. For instance, the added acoustic ceiling reduces noise but still allows for the buzz of a busy café. This dynamic interplay between historic and contemporary makes for an engaging space where people want to gather.