Interior Design students collaborate on a restaurant inspired by a recipe
Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes when developing a new restaurant concept? Dunwoody’s third-year Interior Design students got first-hand knowledge through group project work.
Tasked to design a sister restaurant and basing their idea off the signature dish of the original restaurant, the new eatery was to be located within a hotel in a specified city.
For Liliana Cooper and Elizabeth Maples, the restaurant design project taught them to think more conceptually. They introduced their idea for a restaurant called Monello, located in a compact and lively neighborhood within San Francisco called Little Italy.
Liliana Cooper 
Elizabeth Maples
Monello, or better known in Italian slang as naughty little boy, channels a northern Italian tradition called Aperitivo. Rooted in culture, this early evening ritual is where friends gather for relaxed pre-dinner drinks and small bites.
Pulling inspiration from the signature dish of Torchio, they focused on how light, and shadows interact within a space while keeping it bright and airy.
It also inspired them to learn more about the pasta making process. “We even got the hands-on experience and made pasta ourselves,” Maples said.
These images show their visual research, sketches and design beginnings for “Extruded Channel.”
They created a multitude of enclosed spaces by channeling forms of extrusion to forge a timeless experience, exposing the original Victorian style while capturing the simplicity of modern design.
The process of working as a team has been supportive, allowing their creativity to flow freely.
“Our favorite part has been to bounce ideas off of one another,” Maples said. “We love working on Revit and being able to see our ideas come to life.”