yellowbelly

When the owners of Retreat Gastropub approached us with an idea for a causal, bar-focused culinary concept offering a bright ‘island-influenced’ cocktail program and ‘ocean-inspired’ fare, we jumped at the opportunity.  Challenged to provide context as unique as the experience, the design references characteristic Polynesian style while being careful not to infringe upon tiki.

Yellowbelly is the signature restaurant within the Citizen Park building in CWE.  The 3,000sf corner unit boasts a 16’ height to structure and nearly floor-to-ceiling windows that bounce afternoon sunlight off of polished concrete floors deep within the space.  The layout maximizes perimeter daylighting and aims to evoke the bright, lively, and casual atmosphere of the islands.  The centrally located bar anchors the floor plan under a triangulated wood ceiling structure, inspired by architectural geometries of the South Pacific.  The bar seating encourages interaction, allowing for collaboration on custom cocktails while catching filtered views of the kitchen crew at work beyond the backlit bottle-display shelving.  Architectural features such as built-in window benches, elevated wood-clad booths, and custom-crafted vertical steel screens further the geometric patterning while defining zones, breaking down scale, and establishing circulation.  Intentionally visible upon entry are hand-painted murals and a menagerie of palms that draw the eye into the space, providing movement, life, and texture throughout.

We collaborated closely with graphic, branding, and PR teams, making the overall ambiance as well curated as the menu, to bring an unprecedented sea-themed dining experience to the so called ‘Midwest Coast’.  This one included a good amount of fabrication too – we were able to perform ALL the steel work, including the benches, screens, rails, and footrests.  Tons of burn time, tons of grind time, and a silky smooth powder-coat finish.