CHURCH AND STATE

The Industrial District of downtown Los Angeles is undergoing a transformative alteration. Located in the former loading dock of the National Biscuit Company building - now the Nabisco Lofts, Church and State Bistro is at the heart of this change. The unusual nature of the site presented unique design opportunities. A typical retail space has little street frontage but lots of depth. Natural light can not penetrate the entire space. Church and State is exactly the opposite. The Bistro spans four loading bays presenting ample street frontage along Industrial Avenue but offering little depth. Taking advantage of these conditions, it was decided to place the kitchen in one bay, the bar in a second bay and the dining hall in the last two bays. This places the Bistro on public display to urban life. At night, visual activity from the restaurant floods outside to the street.

The interior of the Bistro takes its visual cues from the building’s history. The original brick floor and walls were repaired and cleaned, concrete ceilings exposed and historic columns given prominent stature. Subway tile, stained wood, antique mirror and wallpaper decorate the restaurant. Strings lights create a secondary ceiling, which in combination with the 14’-0” high steel-and-glass glazed windows give the Bistro an exterior courtyard ambiance.