District, a restaurant and local favorite offering high-quality sweet and savory dishes made from scratch in a quick service environment, asked for spaces that were open, welcoming, and engaging for their locations in Elmwood and Baton Rouge. For their first Baton Rouge restaurant, located in the Town Center at Cedar Lodge shopping mall, the client wanted an open layout to prioritize engagement between staff and customers, and a warm atmosphere attuned to the brand’s existing aesthetics. In all of their locations, District is committed to equally elevating staff and patron experiences alike, in part by allowing for a constant, animated exchange of activity between the dining and kitchen spaces. 

Our design responded to these requirements and reinforced the company’s values through open space planning, theatrical lighting, ornamental finishes, and well-crafted furniture, earning the Elmwood location in particular an AIA New Orleans Member’s Choice Award. The centerpiece of each new space is a long, communal table designed to function as a surface for dining, while also shaping circulation to and from the kitchen for both staff and customers and marking the intersection between kitchen and dining areas. With the addition of direct and indirect light, the center table creates a dramatic atmosphere. A central exhaust hood marks another important focal point for the patron experience and serves as the primary organizational element for the kitchen. Natural and locally sourced ingredients line the back walls of the kitchen, providing transparency to patrons and ease of access to staff members. Indoor and outdoor seating, with wooden stool seats and benches to match the communal dining table, bring cohesion, warmth, and masculine sophistication to the restaurant’s overall aesthetic.

Team:

Principal in Charge:
Charles Jones 

Project Team:
Matt DeCotiis,
James Catalano

Consultants:

Structural Engineer:
Batture

MEP Engineer:
WDG Engineers

General Contractor

Perrier Esquerré Contractors