█ sampaguita
orlando, fl : [2022]
Sampaguita is a love letter to the Philipines. The dessert concept explores culture, family traditions, and the expression of self-identity through specially crafted ice cream flavors and baked goods. Just as how food can unlock memories and evoke a sense of place, we were intently interested in how a space can elicit similar feelings while amplifying the experience of food. As a Filipino-American who grew up in Miami before moving to Orlando, the owner’s cultural and culinary identity exists at an intersection between Filipino and Western cultures. This intersection makes for an interesting approach to design that gave us the opportunity to explore a territory that is neither strictly one nor the other.
The layout of the linear space features a long corridor and a seating area that flanks the service counter. As a measure to combat the static quality a long, linear space can often have, we adopted a more-is-more approach to the selection and pairing of materials. The space is a visual treat that combines lush tropical motifs with the feel of a retro ice cream parlor. We mixed and matched a variety of patterns and textures in greens in pinks to create a space that is welcoming and exciting. Emerald green is a key color in the space that recalls the verdure of the Philippines. Blush pink imparts warmth and evokes images of tropical flamingos and the art deco architecture of South Beach. Natural materials like woven grasscloth, rattan, and pamaypay fans are a direct reference to Filipino handicrafts and serve to temper the bold use of color and pattern. With its large aggregates reminiscent of ice cream toppings and colorful mix-ins, terrazzo is a feature material that is used ubiquitously throughout the space. Brassy gold tones add a touch of decadence while alluding to the Philippines and its rich mineral resources.
Several of the flavors offered at the store are derivative of native Filipino flora such as ube, pandan, and the eponymous sampaguita. Plants were an important source of design inspiration. Within the hard-lined confines of the architecture of the space, we wanted there to be an element of natural chaos. Seating areas adorned with greenery and clusters of overgrown foliage serve to breathe lushness and life into the interior all while evoking the verdant rainforests of the Philippines and the tropical climes of South Florida.
Sampaguita combines the experience of food and space to forge a unique narrative that is the result of the blending of two distinct cultural influences within the context of a devoted local community that values genuine experiences and culinary innovation.
photo credit | Chad Baumer Photography