The Plant Cafe Organic

3, Pier, San Francisco, CA, United States

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The Plant Cafe Organic

3, Pier, San Francisco, CA, United States

Firm

Sean Kennedy

Type

Hospitality + Sport › Restaurant

YEAR

2009

BUDGET

$1M - 5M

The Plant: Cafe Organic occupies two historic, waterfront
buildings at Pier 3, straddling what was once a railroad passage, which
CCS Architecture has modified to create a full-service, 112-seat restaurant and
a separate, counter-service cafe. The Plant is one of the "greenest"
restaurants in San Francisco--and
one of the few in the country with a rooftop solar PV system for on-site,
electrical energy production.

CCS inserted light, delicate interiors within the existing pier
warehouses, using reclaimed wood, recycled-content tiles and an eclectic mix of
zinc, cold-rolled steel, and stainless steel to finish out the spaces. The
Plant, like many new projects within converted pier buildings along San Francisco's
Embarcadero, is helping revitalize this edge of the city where the land meets
the Bay.

The 1400-square-foot dining space, originally built in the early
1900s, features 18-foot ceilings, exposed timber structure, and 16-foot-high
casement windows that admit natural light and stunning views of the water. CCS
added clusters of Edison bulb lights to fill
the lofty space; steel and brass pendant lights enliven the bar and community
table. Green wall tiles, made by Heath Ceramics of Sausalito, CA, set off the
live-fire pizza oven and zinc-topped bar. A wood-slat ceiling enhances the
room's acoustics while relating to the original Plant Cafe's design, also by
CCS.

Low walls and banquettes made from locally sourced hickory and
cold-rolled steel shape the room, forming a central, built-in planter
installed with towering queen palms. CCS designed all the restaurant's tables;
the community table, made from walnut and soapstone, is a focal point. San
Francisco gardener Flora Grubb created a living wall,
installed with air plants, on the cafe's north wall. Vibrant
green flooring is made from coconut shells. Bayside seating hugs the water and
has overhead canopies with heating and lighting to allow comfort all year.
Sidewalk dining along The Embarcadero gets warm afternoon sun.

The Plant's kitchen and counter-service cafe are located across
the breezeway from the restaurant. Guests interact with chilled display cases
and zinc countertops, and there is limited counter seating on the ground floor.
The existing loft space, with original Douglas fir floors and new
blackened-steel railings, is now a unique dining loft that sits above the cafe.CCS, together with The Plant's owners, have employed a number of innovative
sustainability measures, including:
- Restoration and reuse of the historic buildings
with minimal demolition of interior, non-structural elements.
- 6kW solar PV system installed on the roof
- Sodium lighting used in the outdoor dining area
to reduce energy consumption and prevent light pollution.
- Daylight controls for day-lit areas. Zoning
controls for heating and cooling.
- Recycled materials used in much of the
furniture: coffee tables are made from
reused railroad ties; the desk is made from reclaimed teak; the outdoor wait
station table is made antique, pine barn wood; two display tables are made from
recycled wood.
- Simple, non-toxic building materials: zinc, stainless steel, wood cabinetry and
floors with natural sealers. Wool
fabrics.
- Daylight and views in a majority of the spaces,
including those where food preparation occurs, increasing visual comfort and
reducing the reliance on artificial light.
- The Plant converts tap water into acidic and
alkaline cleaning fluid for counters, floors, windows and dishwashing using and
the Electrolyzer System, which produces electrolyzed water.
- All biodegradable waste is recycled and
composted.