Mr. Perkins Family Restaraunt

Cost: 380,000 USD

Addition Sq Ft: 950

This project explores the update of a staple family restaurant on Milwaukee’s Northwest Side. Located at 2001 W Atkinson Ave, I saw an opportunity for this building to gain an addition that would: preserve the history of the building’s unique structure, accommodate more people, show the quality of the goods and services provided, and generate a resilient communal space that embraces the park and library close by.

Located off of buzzing and historical W Capitol Dr., this restaurant is in close proximity to a warm and inviting public library and a small preservation of old growth trees and prairie; This presents an opportunity to develop a ‘microclimate’ of intimate public experience. The building has a roof unlike any around; extruding its south elevation and allowing for framed views of the park and library will enhance the restaurants presence.

The design proposal utilizes a heavy timber frame, a curtain wall, and structural insulated panels to support, enclose, and insulate an open, cool, and natural lit indoor environment. The entire experience, inside and out, is to feel calm, relaxing, and safe, just like the library across the street. Someone can come in for a quick coffee and a bite to eat, sit at the bar, look out the window, and wait for their bus to show up. The design grants a destination point for tourists, a hot spot for locals, and plays an integral role in the overall experience of the immediate area.

Dylan Wallace

Designer . Builder . Artist

Mr. Perkins Family Restaraunt