BOA
Santa Monica, Calif.
Tag Front
Steakhouse architecture tries a new flavor
Steakhouse architecture tends to come in one of two flavors: gentlemen’s club or chuck wagon buffet. Boa, with its sleek modern interiors, stands out—as does its food. But how does one break the mold twice? This was the challenge facing Tag Front, which was commissioned to design a second location for the popular restaurant in Santa Monica, Calif. Tag Front had also designed the restaurant’s original space in West Hollywood.
For continuity between the locations, the architect retained a few key elements but combined them in different ways to give the new space an entirely different feel. The signature elements in both locations are colorful resin light fixtures suspended in beds of glass shards. But the new space features a twist on this idea: driftwood tree limbs rise from the glass bed and cast shadows on suede panels lining the dining room’s back wall. Above these limbs, wedge-shaped red panels surround light fixtures in the ceiling, echoing similar paneling installed under the bar.
The architect avoided a traditional steakhouse aesthetic by using modern design elements, lighter natural materials, and a color palette not usually found in this type of restaurant. The end result is a successful combination of a serious steakhouse with a contemporary vision.
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Formal name of project:
BOA
Location:
Santa Monica, Calif.
Gross square footage:
5,300 sq. ft.
Owner:
Innovative Dining Group
Architect:
Tag Front
818 S Broadway, 700
Los Angeles, CA 90014
213-623-2330 tel.
213-623-2305 fax
www.tagfront.com
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