Looseleaf Cafe

Fall 2021
CC/ MJK / RM / SL

My Role

Timeline

Tools Used

Looseleaf Cafe is a spatial planning and branding project based in Ithaca, New York.

Interior Designer
Spatial Planner
Spatial Branding

Revit
Sketchup
Enscape
V-ray
Adobe Illustrator

4 weeks

Overview

Background:

Cornell University's Mann Library is a vibrant academic library , advancing discovery in the life science, agriculture and human ecology disciplines. Its mission in being a space of academic excellence, expansion, and collaboration is embedded in its physical space. The building also features a Mann Cafe that seeks to bring the same experiences to students and visitors. That is why this project was initiated.

Mission:
To create a welcoming cafe experience for all guests that promotes positivity and efficiency and maintains a memorable identity.

Project Background

Manndible Cafe was the independently-owned sustainable eatery resourcing fresh local foods.

For the past 13 years, many regular customers had cherished the cafe for its sustainability efforts, local cafe atmosphere, the feeling of eating home cooked meals, and its unique branding.

However, the recent replacement of Manndible Cafe, Mann Cafe, lost most of such uniqueness and is now becoming unremarkable.

Mannible Cafe

Mann Cafe

We aim to create an overall positive experience for customers of the redesigned Mann Cafe. Looseleaf Cafe represents a departure from Manndible’s brand and brings a new, unique, and enjoyable personality to campus that people can appreciate in its own right, without needing to compare it to its predecessor.

Spatial and User Research

Findings

Customer Needs

We conducted a series of interviews to better understand the current design problems of the Mann Cafe.

Clear Signage and Flow

Decreased Waiting Time

Organized Functions

Increased Biophilia

Sustainability Intentions

Appropriate Seating Options

Employee Needs

We conducted a series of interviews to better understand the current design problems of the Mann Cafe.

Wider Kitchen Area

More Storage

Kitchen Facilities Rearrangement

Menu Board Redesign

Better Employee and Customer Flow

Customer and Employee Testimonials

We found out that users have contradictory opinions about the island register / flow.

“People know what to do and where to wait in line (after combining two different lines into one).”

“I couldn’t tell which line I was supposed to get in to order.”

“I had to step out of line to get chips and drinks because they were so far away.”

“Line still goes out the door during the peak hours because of the island register’s location.”

“The line did move pretty fast!”

“Having a separate register for grab-and-go was really convenient, but it could be at a better spot.”

What our solution will tackle:

Satisfying Customer Wants of Separate Grab-and-Go Register

Convenience

With Clear Signage, Organized Functions, and decreased

waiting time

Improved Flow

Branding and Proposed Solutions

In constructing our unique brand, we considered the needs of those on campus, as well as the offerings of nearby cafes to ensure that Looseleaf would stand out.

Our primary logos are a leaf caught coming “loose” from a cup and surrounded by “Looseleaf Cafe - Mann Library,” as well as a wordmark with a leaf in place of a lowercase L.

Our secondary logos are the cup icon, as well as the script L in “Looseleaf.” Both of these logos would be well suited to beverage cups and merchandise.

Solutions: Spatial Features

New Lighting and Wall Art: To increase uniqueness.
Optimized Island: To improve flow and increase uniqueness.
Increased Overhead Signage: To improve flow and decrease wait time.
Digital Order Board: To show when orders are ready.
Compartment Shelving: To better organize online order pickup.
Stackable Furniture: To save space.
Separation of Coffee/Food Sections: To streamline kitchen operations.
Multipurpose Countertop: To facilitate access between BOH and customer service areas.
Increased Greenery: To incorporate nature and increase user well being.