Orchid 
The renovation of the Ventanas dining hall at UC San Diego’s Eleanor Roosevelt College aimed to revitalize the food service area with five unique culinary platforms and a new coffee bar, creating dynamic and integrated community spaces. The project celebrated the African diaspora’s influence on global cuisines, highlighting the diverse culinary traditions of the Caribbean, South America, the American South, and North America. The design team incorporated materials, textures, and colors inspired by these rich culinary traditions to bring this vision to life.
In pursuing LEED certification, the project focused on biophilic design, enhancing the existing dining room’s strong connection to the outdoors. The space features towering walls of windows, reminiscent of a greenhouse, which were further complemented by interior planters in organic shapes. Five custom woven oak basket soffits at the food service nodes and the use of natural materials and textures throughout the dining and food service areas reinforced this connection to nature. This thoughtful integration of biophilic elements and celebration of cultural heritage aimed to create a vibrant and engaging dining experience for the UC San Diego community.