Wildweed

Interior Architecture- Small Scale (<5,000 sf)

Project Narrative

The marriage of aesthetics and functionality across disciplines was of the utmost importance in designing Wildweed, a 60-seat restaurant and 12-chair chef’s counter in the heart of Cincinnati’s historic Over-the-Rhine district. The space pairs well with the unique dishes that define chef David Jackman’s oeuvre: playfully defying conventional approaches with a refined palette and a clear sense of place. This process involved both designer and chef collaborating with millworkers, muralists, graphic designers, furniture makers, HVAC technicians, and electricians.

Spatially, the open floor plan is a tightly wound sequence between distinct dining zones, the details of which conceal functional elements and reveal new experiences around every corner:

A 30ft painting (Edibles by Maxwell Redder) sets the scene, shrouding a utilitarian core housing restrooms and service zones. The mural’s cerulean background color playfully dances from here to the noodle-like lighting trough overhead, back to the bar uplighting, kitchen equipment, staff uniforms, promo posters, and even down to tape labeling containers of wild onions, pickled mushrooms and the like.

In the front; bright, wide banquettes under tall storefront windows are mirrored by a moody bar where locally foraged ingredients meet their locally crafted neon counterparts.

From the host stand, the guests’ and chefs’ point of view carves through the built environment back to the open kitchen.

Booths line the walls, slipping in and out to define the dining areas, also housing ductwork, flatware storage, and planters.

One character emerges from resultant space - a tile clad wine cooler, drink well, and point-of-sale hearkens the entrance to a minimally elegant barrel-vaulted bathroom hallway.

Through careful planning and coordination, all of these serendipitous elements come together as a cohesive whole, representing the restaurant’s unique style.