Straits
San Jose, Calif.
CCS Architecture

Adding the flavor of Singapore to Northern California

© Cesar Rubio

For more photos click on 'photos & drawings' above. To see the people and products behind this project click on 'people & products.'

This new restaurant—the South Bay branch of a popular Singaporean restaurant in San Francisco—includes indoor-outdoor dining, an exhibition kitchen, and a bar-lounge, all rendered in a style that is both modern and uniquely Southeast Asian.

Located in the ground floor of a new mixed-use development, the project takes advantage of its extensive storefront through the use of sliding glass and mahogany doors that allow the dining room and the lounge area to spill out onto the adjacent sidewalks. This permeable edge composes two sides of the overall restaurant volume. Turning the opposite corner of the L-shaped plan is a continuous band of colored glass and sandblasted acrylic shelving, acting as a visual link between different programs and as a continuous display wall. This feature packs the "opaque" interior wall with visual interest and programmatic function.

The exhibition kitchen along the rear wall animates the deepest area of the dining room, setting the action of the chefs against a vivid backdrop of red anodized aluminum panels. This zone extends from the storefront to the private dining room in the rear of the restaurant and acts as a visual anchor from all corners of the dining area.

To emphasize the indoor-outdoor nature of the project, the tropical origin of the cuisine, and the mildness of the local climate, the restaurant uses a motif of louvered openings and surfaces to allow for filtered views, light, and breezes.

Formal name of Project:
Straits

Location:
San Jose, Calif.

Total construction cost:
$1.2 million

Owner:
Chris Yeo

Architect:
CCS Architecture
44 McLea Court
San Francisco, CA 94103
415.864.2800
415.864.2850
www.ccs-architecture.com