Menil Cafe

Interloop-Architecture was commissioned by the Menil Foundation to develop a concept design for a new full-service cafe to accommodate visitors to the museum as well as a broader public within the city. The cafe proposal was to adapt and re-use an existing 1923 wood-framed bungalow on the campus, directly across from the Menil Collection museum entrance.

The Menil Collection building externalizes structure as an aesthetic means to mediate the scale of the museum building relative to the surrounding bungalows. The new Menil Cafe internalizes structure as an aesthetic means to expand the scale of the bungalow volume.

Julia’s Bistro

Julia’s is a twenty-five hundred square-foot new restaurant, bar, and full kitchen located in Midtown, Houston. Two existing commercial spaces were gutted and combined to form the new interior. A large portion of the existing brick facade was removed and replaced with new storefront glass windows. The space takes advantage of it’s prime corner location along the new light rail, connecting downtown Houston to the medical center and stadium. The main dining space projects a vibrant interior onto the street. A palette of six (almost cosmetic) colors are deployed like wallpaper, wrapping the interior space with no regard for physical corners or material edges. The flooring is a custom colored epoxy finish, suitable for industrial applications, that wraps up the face of the bar, the banquette seating, and two columns.