Red Line Café — Independent Case Study
Project Type
Independent Project
Location
Chicago-Inspired Concept
Category
Case Study
Year
2018
Project Overview
The Red Line Café was developed in 2018 as an independent design case study, reimagining a stand-alone café concept inspired by the culture of Chicago. The project explored how a small retail environment could embody the spirit of the city, blending its architectural grit, iconic transit identity, and vibrant cultural life into a cohesive hospitality experience.
Rendering
At the center of the design is a continuous red bench, weaving through the space as both a functional seating element and a metaphor for the connectivity of Chicago’s Red Line. The bold use of red reinforces the café’s identity, while graphic signage and transit-inspired typography establish a direct visual link to the city’s transit culture.
The rendering illustrates how the interior celebrates Chicago’s dual character—modern yet historic, industrial yet warm—using strong contrasts and clear visual language to ground the café in its urban roots.
Concept & Reflection
The Red Line Café became more than an academic exercise—it was a study in how design can translate a city’s cultural DNA into a built environment. By combining bold symbolism, clear spatial gestures, and rooted materiality, the project paid homage to Chicago while creating a destination that felt both familiar and iconic.
Through this work, I explored how storytelling and place-based design can transform a café into a civic symbol: a space that embodies the character of Chicago, built at the scale of everyday life.