On Lusk Alley in San Francisco’s South of Market district, a 1917 smokehouse and meat-processing facility has been renovated to become Twenty Five Lusk. The 265-seat new American restaurant and bar is an unexpected gem in the urban fabric. CCS Architecture crafted the two-level space, weaving graceful forms and sophisticated materials through the massive, historic, warehouse structure.
The interior emphasizes a counterpoint between the new palette of polished stainless steel, glass, white plaster, leather, mirror, faux fur, and slate and the existing elements of brick, concrete and rough-sawn timber.
My inspiration was creating a place that was very cool and unexpected down an alley,’ says Cass Calder Smith of CSS Architecture. ‘I think everybody likes to feel they have discovered a place.’ The architects created a large, glass entrance, cutting into the existing building exterior; the canopy bends up at its leading edge to become the restaurant’s signage. Windows were enlarged and added along the façade to animate the interior with natural light and allow views.
Inside, a large wedge from the upper floor makes an open connection between the lower level lounge and the dining room upstairs. Entering the restaurant, guests take in simultaneous views of both. ‘I wanted to create as much visual impact as possible by contrasting all of the new that we added, which is mostly white and shiny, against the existing building which is brick and timber,’ Smith says.
I wanted a space that was zoned but fluid – where the dining area and the lounges had their distinct areas, but still related to each other spacially,’ Smith adds. ‘I would describe it as multi-level bar and restaurant that is sexy and slightly bad ass. It has a sensous feminine interior played off in a masculine existing building.’ The dining room is on the second floor, up a half-flight of stairs from the entry. The kitchen is a highlight on this level; a modern envelope of clear and black glass permits views of the chef action and reflects the activity of the dining room. A strategic mix of tables, banquettes, and booths provides seating for 120. Pullman-style booths are built into the angled, low plaster wall that borders the cut-away, and cantilevered tables, made from richly patterned Macassar ebony, pierce the wall. Lighting reveals the original Douglas fir ceiling and creates a warm glow.
According to Smith, the biggest challenge was uniting two separate levels, while keeping the fine dining space in the
upper room and the main entrance and lounge on the lower level. The winning idea was the formation of a large wedge that traverses between the two and has a staircase hidden inside. The dining room is on the second floor, up a half-flight of stairs from the entry. The kitchen is a highlight on this level; a modern envelope of clear and black glass permits views of the chef action and reflects the activity of the dining room. A strategic mix of tables, banquettes, and booths provides seating for 120. Pullman-style booths are built into the angled, low plaster wall that borders the cut-away, and cantilevered tables, made from richly patterned Macassar ebony, pierce the wall. Lighting reveals the original Douglas fir ceiling and creates a warm glow.
In the lower level lounge, seating zones extend the length of the space, each with a suspended, stainless steel fire orb. The orbs act as a focal point for each seating area, much like camp fires, and their reflective flues extend up through the restaurant’s open spaces to the ceiling 20 feet above. Behind the large bar, the former Ogden Packing and Provision
smoking rooms have been converted into intimate lounge areas. These semi-private, brick and concrete chambers are appointed with sumptuous sofas. The lower level features a 40-seat private dining room as well as a glass-enclosed wine room within the former freight elevator shaft.
The architecture sets up a notable contrast between the dramatic vertical space and the single-height areas, allowing guests to experience the restaurant in its totality while providing intimate spaces to explore. CCS transformed the entire 15,000 square foot warehouse to accommodate new uses. Twenty Five Lusk occupies the first and second floors, and the third level has been designed as a 5200 square feet of creative office space.
The space is comfortable with a sense of urban luxury,’ Smith says. ‘I am always inspired by newness in oldness – especially as you see in New York and Europe. I wanted to do this in San Fransisco, where I knew this style would be welcomed.’
