The architects faced significant spatial constraints when designing the % Arabica New York Midtown location. The narrow storefront measures just 20 meters in length and 3.7 meters in width, positioned one meter below street level with a ceiling height of only 2.55 meters. Rather than viewing these limitations as obstacles, the design team embraced the compact proportions and used them to create an intimate, enveloping experience.
The interior's defining feature is a continuous handcrafted wooden surface that flows seamlessly across walls and ceiling, creating what the architects describe as a warm cocoon. This curved timber installation required sophisticated construction techniques, with Curtis Su Associates employing 3D scanning technology to precisely map the existing shell structure. The team then used CNC-cutting methods to create timber panels that form continuous curves throughout the space.
The construction process combined traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology. The curving surfaces were carefully scanned, milled, and shaped to follow the space's unique geometry. To achieve fluid transitions across corners and ceilings, the architects incorporated GRG (glass-fiber reinforced gypsum) alongside the timber panels. This extra layer of wood traces and smooths out the uneven geometry of the existing structure, eliminating dips, angles, and architectural quirks that might have disrupted the flowing design.
A striking 10-meter-long counter serves as the organizing element of the narrow interior, running almost the entire length of the space. This single horizontal feature effectively divides the wooden shell into two distinct visual zones, each treated differently to maximize the spatial experience. Above the counter line, Spanish architectural office Selgascano and South Pasadena-based Curtis Su Associates painted the timber white to reflect available light and brighten the low ceiling area. Below the counter, they preserved the wood's natural tone, bringing texture and warmth closer to customers' eye level and creating a more intimate connection with the material.
The café's relationship with the street is deliberately understated and mysterious. From the sidewalk, very little reveals what's happening inside the space. The architects chose to leave the façade mostly untouched, preserving cracks, patches, and traces of the building's past use as part of its character. There's no large signage or formal entrance announcement – just the % Arabica logo, gently placed to mark the entry into this intimate underground space.
To enhance the spatial experience despite the compact dimensions, the designers installed a large mirror near the entrance. This strategic placement helps stretch the perspective and offers passersby a brief, disorienting glimpse into the unique interior space. The mirror creates an optical illusion that makes the narrow café feel more expansive while maintaining its cozy, cocoon-like atmosphere.
The project represents a masterful example of how architectural innovation can transform challenging urban spaces into memorable experiences. By working with rather than against the site's constraints, Selgascano and Curtis Su Associates have created a café that feels both protective and expansive, intimate yet sophisticated. The handcrafted timber installation demonstrates how traditional materials and advanced fabrication techniques can combine to create spaces that wrap around the human body in completely new ways.
This % Arabica location joins the brand's growing collection of architecturally distinctive coffee shops worldwide, but stands out for its bold approach to working within Manhattan's demanding urban context. The café offers visitors a brief escape from the bustling streets above, enveloping them in a carefully crafted wooden environment that transforms the simple act of drinking coffee into an immersive architectural experience.
