Following our previous visit to Portland-based LEVER Architecture, we are moving our Meet Your Next Employer series to San Francisco this week to explore the work of STUDIO BANAA.

Founded in 2015 by Nastaran Mousavi and Dane Bunton, the firm has built a portfolio of fresh, dynamic spaces defined by color, pattern, and personality. “Our design process is very collaborative, and we bring our entire team to the table and tackle it together,” Mousavi and Bunton told us in 2021 as part of our Studio Snapshot series. “Since we are small, our office structure is not as rigid as you see in bigger corporate offices, and each member of our team becomes involved in every aspect of a project.”

Over on Archinect Jobs, the firm is currently hiring for several positions at their San Francisco studio. For candidates interested in applying for the position, or anybody interested in learning more about the firm’s output, we have rounded up four cafes and restaurants featuring stylish, colorful interiors by STUDIO BANAA that exemplify the firm’s ethos.

Voyager Craft Coffee, Santa Clara, CA

STUDIO BANAA performed architecture and interior design services for Voyager Craft Coffee’s ‘The Alameda’ outlet in Santa Clara, their third project for the brand. The brand’s nautical iconography is implemented subtly into the interior with sailboat-shaped tiles, shelving built like ship ladders, and a wooden coffee counter shaped like a hull.

“While the inspiration might be obvious to the eye, the way we designed the space is less so,” the firm notes. “Distinct seating zones – like continents united by passages of water – allow for diverse group sizes and seating needs. Here, the benefits become obvious the more you explore the space.”

Sanguchon Sandwich Shop, San Francisco, CA

For the Sanguchon Sandwich Shop, STUDIO BANAA populated a long, narrow commercial unit with a restaurant whose interior is inspired by the owner’s Peruvian background. The resulting restaurant is described by the firm as “an invitation for diners to interact with the culture of Peru.”

“A striking mural of Nazca lines etched into a wood soffit draws you in and down the long narrow space from the street,” the firm adds. “The color palette makes your mouth water for sweet potatoes and eyes tingle with Peruvian opal blue and warm, creamy whites. And low seating encourages casual, drop-in style interactions.”

Serious Dumpling, San Jose, CA

Serious Dumpling was designed as a fast-casual dining experience based on Shanghai’s dumpling cuisine. For the interior, STUDIO BANAA sought to celebrate and showcase the craft of creating the restaurant’s specialty dumplings including an open kitchen concept that allows customers to directly experience and engage with the preparation process. To reflect the restaurant cuisine’s blend of traditional cooking techniques and modern, eclectic flavors, the interior adopts a moody yet playful atmosphere.

“Dumplings have very distinct and recognizable forms, they are, however, very malleable and handcrafted,” the firm explains. “Just like clay that turns into ceramic, the dough is formed and folded by hand to a variety of shapes and forms. Inspired directly by the ingredients of dumplings and the process of handcrafting them, the process becomes tangible through design. A custom ceiling and lighting piece that guides the user through the space into the production area is a literal and visual mimicry of the ingredients used to make dumplings - the dough.”

Mad Yolks, Santa Cruz, CA

For the Mad Yolks breakfast spot in Santa Cruz, STUDIO BANAA sought to create a “chill and approachable atmosphere.” Inspired by “all things eggs,” the interior features perfectly rounded forms, with the deep yellow color of egg yolks used as a pop against a green background, and an array of circles, curves, cracks, waves, and colors stitched together across the space.

“The front bar showcases a literal version of a cracked egg, with a continuous “crack” on the face, that is used as an accent concealed lighting,” the firm adds. “The existing playful and intricate flooring is restored and preserved, to celebrate the history of the space, while a few rows of half-circle floating shelves replicate the waves of the ocean.”

Meet Your Next Employer is one of a number of ongoing weekly series showcasing the opportunities available on our industry-leading job board. Our Job Highlights series looks at intriguing and topical employment opportunities currently available on Archinect Jobs, while our weekly roundups curate job opportunities by location, career level, and job description.