Pitfire Culver City is an architectural transformation of a Shakey’s pizza parlor to a contemporary artisanal pizza restaurant.  We took a concrete block building with many layers, stripped it down to its bare skin, which we then sealed. The interior moves include a modern, bright red steel hood over the wood burning oven that alters the typical...

Pitfire Culver City is an architectural transformation of a Shakey’s pizza parlor to a contemporary artisanal pizza restaurant.  We took a concrete block building with many layers, stripped it down to its bare skin, which we then sealed. The interior moves include a modern, bright red steel hood over the wood burning oven that alters the typical ‘earthy’ hearth reading in favor of a bright center point to the room.  Through many new skylights and large cuts in the exterior wall we brought enough light in so that the restaurateurs do not need to use electrical lighting until sunset. Throughout the space strong primary colors highlight objects and our custom furniture and the background elements are rendered either in plywood walls, Kraft paper ceilings, and simple marble counters.  There is an intentional play between high design- an homage to the palette of Lina Bo Bardi- and lowly pop culture that follows the lead of the restaurant’s ‘serious’ pizza at reasonable prices motto.  On the exterior the block wall has been painted with a hugely exaggerated pop ‘brick wall’, there is an over-long bike rack and a mini indoor/outdoor garden is split by the huge glass sliding wall. The restaurant is EXTREMELY kid friendly and has a rather large family fan base.