Washington, DC-based practice GrizForm Design Architects has unveiled its design of La Famosa, a new Puerto Rican concept with a Latin-Caribbean twist in the city’s Navy Yard. The eatery showcases a design inspired by chef Joancarlo Parkhurst’s strong sense of nostalgia for the casitas—small homes common to the Puerto Rican countryside.
“La Famosa has been such a fun project for us,” says GrizForm founder and principal Griz Dwight, “the client’s concept was visionary and passionate from the beginning, allowing Puerto Rican inspiration to manifest in every detail of the design from the la casita, to the porch seating, to the concrete counter and Cabo Rojo pink tile bar.”
An ordering station outfitted with grooved metal fascia and a letter board adorned to a subway-tiled wall greets diners upon entry. Breezeblocks house lighting above the concrete bar, while the patterns of the stenciled concrete floors contrast many of the interior’s finer finishes like pink glazed brick tile and warm textured flooring. Eye-catching notes of royal blue, bright orange, and vibrant green punctuate the restaurant seating as well. Greenery also softens industrial elements like exposed piping wrapped in Manilla rope, complementary to woven rattan light fixtures. Casitas are recalled in details like cozy swing seating and the central communal table housed within a hut.
