MAKWA COFFEE [ROSEVILLE, MN]

Collaboration is at the heart of every project at NewStudio Architecture, and this strong focus on client input appealed to Makwa Coffee’s owner as she began developing the space for her business. She sat down with NewStudio’s team (over coffee, of course) to share her ideas for the business: natural elements in the design, space to host soccer watch parties, and an area that she dubbed a “Big Free Library.” NewStudio Build, the integrated contractor and construction division of the firm, handcrafted the library’s millwork for the coffee shop, hiding the TV behind wood-panel doors that seamlessly fold back and tuck away. The surrounding shelves hold artwork, books, games, and toys for customer interaction, and the hand-stained wood continues along the bar and adjacent wall as a main focal point. NewStudio’s design also revived the existing fireplace with new blue tile and millwork to further emphasize the collaborative vision of a comfortable and inviting local gathering place.