The Mavens restaurant and cafe

THE MAVENS CAFE, RESTAURANT AND THE CULINARY SCHOOL

3rd generation elderly people are not only free and independent but many are keen to get back into education. Some want to learn new skills and others are keen to pass on knowledge to others. ‘The Mavens’ is a co-housing solution for the elderly as well as a place for them to share knowledge and wisdom that they have acquired throughout their lives with the student population. In this project I focused on the restaurant, cafe and culinary school of The Mavens. Its a space for the residents to share their cooking skills not only amongst each other but also with the community. The restaurant not only serves the residents but also the community. Its a social space for the elderly and the students; bringing the two generations together. The cafe is located in the ground floor near the lobby. It can be enjoyed by the locals as they can just pop in on their way to town centre. The culinary school; which is also the main kitchen of the restaurant and cafe is based on the first floor. The restaurant is based on rest of the first floor and part of the second floor. The dining and kitchen have been separated in three parts- Firstly the open kitchen and dining which also serves as the culinary school. Secondly the restaurant facing the north elevation. And last but not the least, the staircase leads to a more intimate part of the dining area located on the second floor. The Mavens Café is based on the ground floor; therefore easily accessible from the main entrance. There is a separate entrance to the café at the entrance. For those inside the building there is an entrance at the back of the café. The café that provides fresh coffee along with freshly baked pastries, cake, bread and pies can hold up to 52 people at one time. The food will be served and prepared by the residents who will be trained in advance if the need be. Dumb-waiter is allocated by the till to allow food to be directly transferred from the first floor. The interior design of the café reflects on the use of natural materials in linear arrangement. A theme that runs all along. The kitchen with dining space is a great way for the residents to interact and engage with their like minded neighbours. Residents can share meals or cook for themselves. But they do have the option of eating with someone. This space can also be used to engage with culinary arts. Space for the residents to share recipes and discuss ingredients and nutritional values.