Celano Design Studio Launches New Dining Facility at Duke University

Designed by New York-based Celano Design Studio in partnership with New York-based Grimshaw Architects, the Duke University West Campus Union is an on-campus dining facility that housing 11 food venues that will debut this year. Along with completing the interior design, the firms also created the brand identity concepts for each of the dining experiences including the materials palette, menu layout, signage, and uniforms. 

Resembling a food hall with a defining central space for cohesion, each of the individual culinary offerings has its own customized identity and sense of style. Restaurants include the Devil’s Krafthouse, which is a 2,800 square foot restaurant that serves classic pub fare, and is marked by a modern industrial aesthetic that includes concrete floors, reclaimed wood finishes, leather banquette seating, and archival black and white photography on the walls. 

Il Forno: Italian Kitchen is the largest venue in the dining hall, and features a wood burning pizza oven anchored between two walls clad in white subway tile. The Farmstead: Garden Market is marked by reclaimed weathered materials and vintage-style graphic reproductions of the golden age of American agriculture. Sprout serves exclusively vegetarian dishes, and is marked by a green-tiled back wall. Tandoor is inspired by the unique and rich cultural landscape of India, and includes geometric patterning and a bright color palette. 

Ginger + Soy serves different Asian cuisines, and resembles a street food market; Gyotaku, which serves sushi, shares the same space, and is marked by stained shou-sugi ban wood counter fronts and a dimensional back wall tile. The Skillet Southern Cookery serves comfort food, and is marked by an open kitchen and a marigold color palette; JB’s Roast & Chops, which focuses on meats, shares the same space, and is distinguished by a darker color palette. 

Duke Café is a quick-stop venue on an island marked by sleek, contemporary design, subtle pops of color, and friendly graphics. The Chef’s Kitchen is a pop-up restaurant venue that will also serve as a culinary education space. 

Finally, the Commons dining room is the facility’s fine dining restaurant, and provides scenic views of the campus. Marked by elegant furniture and midcentury modern aesthetics, it converts to the Commons Steak House in the evenings.