Hospitality Design - March/April 2018 - 109

The focal point of Scampi in New York is the backbar,
with its unique shape informed by irregular soffits

up Thompson Hotel in the Navy Yards in Washington, DC that is well
underway and is looking pretty insane-in a good way, of course.

Lessons learned from working together?
JL: Understanding that we each have separate ideas and agendas at times,

personally and professionally. But in the end, we always have to agree and
we never leave a disagreement or decision unresolved. We know each other
well enough that we respect the fact that when one of us feels particularly
strong about something that it's usually a direction worth pursuing. We
trust our instincts and it works well.

The terrace at Viale dei Romani, the restaurant
housed in La Peer Hotel in Los Angeles

architecture. We had to figure out how to work around irregularly
cascading soffits that contained equipment from the apartment
building above, which could not be altered in any way due to time and
cost. What seemed like an unsightly challenge created some special
features in the restaurant. The abnormal soffit configuration worked
successfully to separate the main dining area from the frontal bar
area, as well as provided the backbar with a unique corner formation.
This acts as the focal point upon entry into the restaurant and
supports perpendicular shelving that has been applied in a beautifully
asymmetrical arrangement. It happens to be one of our favorite backbars
that we've developed.

What's on the boards?
JL: We're in construction on a very exciting project in Chicago with One

Off Hospitality and Underscore Hospitality, the Pacific Standard Time
restaurant, which was inspired by the beautiful architecture of Malibu
ranch homes in the 1970s. We've also been brought in for another ground-

How has your firm changed over the years?
JL: We went from being a two-man show to a team of 20. We are thoughtful
about the speed of our growth and make sure that we don't expand too far
beyond a certain number. We love the size of our firm because it enables us
to have a good handle on the quantity and types of projects we take on at
any given time. Our staff is incredible, so our capabilities are vast and our
creativity relentless.

What's one thing you know now that you wish you knew in the
beginning?
JL: We would have developed a more streamlined process earlier on. We
learn from every single design challenge. The key is to carry these lessons
forward and use the experiences to positively influence future projects.

Why is two better than one?
AC: We can divide and conquer on so many levels, be it design

perspectives, client relationships, business development, or presence in the
office while the other is out in the field. Functioning with two heads is far
more sustainable and a hell of a lot more fun.

Scampi's concept melds a Mediterranean feel
with postmodern Italian design

A wood-paneled bar and mosaic flooring define
the café at Blender Workspace in New York

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