• Interior of Retro Rec sandwich shop in SOMA San Francisco, featuring mid-century modern design and custom plywood millwork by Studio Alexander.

    RETRO REC - SOMA SANDWICH SHOP

  • Lounge-style restaurant booth seating with Bauhaus-inspired tubular-steel framing and colorful finishes at a San Francisco cafe.

    TYPE — COMMERCIAL | INTERIORS & FURNITURE

    LOCATION — SAN FRANCISCO, CA

    YEAR — 2025

    PHASES — CONCEPT, SCHEMATIC DESIGN, DESIGN DEVELOPMENT, CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS & PROCUREMENT

    DESIGNED AS AN ELEVATED HOMAGE TO MID-CENTURY RECREATIONAL CULTURE, THIS HOSPITALITY SPACE BALANCES NOSTALGIA WITH MODERNIST PRINCIPLES. THE CONCEPT REIMAGINES THE SPIRIT OF A CLASSIC REC ROOM THROUGH A REFINED, DESIGN-FORWARD LENS—PAIRING PLYWOOD MILLWORK WITH GRAPHIC FINISHES AND BAUHAUS-INSPIRED DETAILS.

    TUBULAR-STEEL FRAMING, MINIMALIST TIMBER STOOLS, AND GLOBE PENDANTS PAY TRIBUTE TO FUNCTIONALIST DESIGN, CREATING SCULPTURAL MOMENTS AGAINST THE MODERN BACKDROP. THE LAYOUT DIVIDES THE FLOOR PLAN BETWEEN COUNTER SERVICE AND RELAXED, LOUNGE-STYLE BOOTH SEATING. BY BALANCING A COLORFUL ENVELOPE WITH GENEROUS NATURAL LIGHT FROM EXPANSIVE STOREFRONT GLAZING, THE INTERIOR SHIFTS FROM AN AIRY DAYTIME CAFE TO AN INTIMATE, ATMOSPHERIC EVENING DESTINATION.

  • Detailed interior view of the commercial bathroom at Retro Rec, SOMA San Francisco, designed by Studio Alexander. The space showcases a unique blend of textures and colors, with patterned mint green and deep-green checkerboard square tiles above rich

  • Expansive storefront windows providing natural light to the retro-inspired counter service area of a SOMA sandwich shop.
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