Bites

Bites | A Palimpsest Restaurant

Site: 625 N Broadway, Knoxville, TN 37917 (1,618 sq ft)

Studio: third year interior architecture studio instructed by Pruett Smith

Instructor: Spring 2024

Programs: Revit, Enscape, V-Ray, Photoshop, Illustrator

In efforts to create an "oasis" in Old City Knoxville, Bites creates an experience of adventure through tropical finishes and an intimate dining experience with the chef at the Kitchen Bar. Bites blurs boundaries and fosters relationships within.

Palimpsest

pal·imp·sest

/ˈpaləm(p)ˌsest/

writing material (such as a parchment or tablet) used one or more times after earlier writing has been erased

Palimpsest is a collective space of small businesses in Old City Knoxville. Each business has it's own unique spin on its program, taking typical business and adding something fresh to it, as a palimpsest has been re-used and given new life.

Palimpsest includes:

Patched - Upcycled Clothing Store

Soundscapes - Experiential Library

Sip & Spin - Coffee Shop Laundromat

Offcuts - Hair Salon

Bites - Restaurant

The Birdwatch - Listening Lounge

the 5th - Speakeasy

Restaurant Concept

Bites (bi- meaning two) is a two chef restaurant that invites guests to sit at the kitchen and get to personally know their chefs and watch their meals be prepared.

The restaurant's mission is to create a dining experience that invites people to build relationships within the staff and among other guests. It's an experience that goes beyond one meal. It's one that will keep you coming back.

Both the design and restaurant concept & branding were developed by Acacia as a part of this project.

Blurring Boundaries

Implementing various levels of transparency, rondel-stained glass partitions were used throughout many areas of the design. Raising the level of interaction with the staff and giving insight to their practices and skillsets elevates the guests view of who the Bites employees are. It's a connection that sees past economic disparity and cultivates an appreciation for the craft in this industry.

This kind of blended interaction is also encouraged among guests to mingle with one another beyond their own table. These glass partitions create a sense of intimacy, which is of utmost importance in order to ensure guests feel comfortable to make bold introductions.

Creating an Adventurous Spirit - "vacation"

To initiate mingling among Bites' guests and chefs, the restaurant takes on a tropical theme simulating the relaxed and adventurous spirit people take on a vacation. The intention is to create an experience of oasis right here in Knoxville, drawing locals and visitors alike.

Finish Floor Plan

Materials Palette

Herb Harvesting

A distinct feature of Bites is its unique herb garden accessible to guests. When dining at Bites, guests can enter the herb garden and select what herbs they'd like the chef to use to flavor their dish. It's a fresh way to spice up meals, and it adds a personal touch to each meal.

Using hydroponics and indoor UV lights, Bites grows all of its own herbs in-house, ready to be plucked.

Process Work

Centro Hispano ➙

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