Jubala

This project was selected as a Merit winner in ARCHITECT's 2024 Architecture & Interiors Awards, Interiors: Hospitality category.

“I couldn’t find a thing I did not like about it. It’s just a little coffee shop, but I thought everything was simple and restrained yet well detailed.” –Juror Brooke Horan

Jubala is a coffee shop and roastery situated in a suburban development, offering an interior experience distinct from its mundane surroundings. The entrance is marked by a wooden screen and a linear planter that guide visitors along a retail wall, past a grab-and-go section, and towards the point of sale. The espresso bar, made of concrete, features a delicate extension that serves as a cupping station. The space includes two seating areas: an open, bright, and extroverted section in the retail area, and a smaller, darker, and more introverted corner under a lowered ceiling and behind a metal screen.

The project aims to surprise patrons with a nuanced, high-quality environment within a bland setting. Located at the base of a nine-story residential tower, the coffee shop serves as a vital third place for residents of a growing suburban area near Raleigh. It benefits from a north-facing storefront overlooking a lawn and bandshell, making it a glowing beacon of activity with warm, quality materials.

The interior materials and design sharply contrast with the smooth, unarticulated exterior of the building. This contrast is evident from the entry, featuring a wooden screen and planter cut from the building slab. The space incorporates materials such as birch, walnut, concrete, painted steel, and plants—authentic materials in a synthetic context. Detailed connections, material transitions, and the contrast between heavy and delicate elements reflect the refinement of the coffee program offered by the client. Coffee production equipment and building systems are carefully integrated into the design, either prominently displayed or discreetly incorporated.

Customer seating areas are designed to encourage prolonged visits and social interaction. The larger, entry-adjacent space is bright and lively, ideal for conversation and social activities. In contrast, a smaller, secluded corner space between the walk-in cooler and roasting area offers a quiet, intimate environment for focused discussions, reading, or work. Both areas are frequently occupied from opening to closing.

Despite the challenging context, the client’s commitment to creating a space that matches the quality of the menu allowed for the development of a complete interior world. This coffee shop stands out as a bright spot in an otherwise unremarkable retail and hospitality landscape.

PROJECT CREDITS:Project: Jubala Coffee
Location: Raleigh, NC
Client/Owner: Jubala Coffee

Architect: in situ studioMatthew Griffith, FAIA
Brittany Siegert, AIA

Photography by Cristobal PalmaDrawings by in situ studio

Construction Start Date: April, 2021Construction End Date: December, 2021
Interior Designer: in situ studio
Mechanical Engineer: Diversified Consulting Group
Electrical Engineer: Diversified Consulting Group
General Contractor: Riley Lewis
Lighting Designer: 3LR
Other Consultants: Creative Office Of (branding)
Size in Square Feet: 2,660

MATERIALS AND SOURCES:

Acoustical System: LightArt(acoustical lighting)Cabinets: Chesnick Corporation
Concrete: site cast
Countertops: Dekton
Gypsum: USG
Lighting Control Systems: Echo
Lighting: LightArt
Metal: Tactile (custom fabrications)