Onyx Coffee Lab, The Momentary, Betonville – USA

Onyx Coffee Lab at the Momentary is a third-wave coffee bar and café. The simple program includes a coffee bar, café, patio and kitchen.
The design process began after the decision was made to put a coffee bar in the Momentary, an old Kraft Cheese factory converted into a contemporary art venue. The museum features current artist in the forms of music installations and performance, the Onyx space was conceived as another installation/performance within this venue. Drawing inspiration from the vast network of existing machinery within the museum, Onyx was originally conceived as a meditation on the duality of human and robot, past and present.
The large glass coffee bar spans the length of the space, servicing both its own small seating area and the museum lobby. To-go service is either made by a robotic pour-over or delivered on a conveyor belt that runs through the space. To-stay service is made by a human barista and handed directly to the patron.
In contrast to the raw materials of the museum, the café is carefully curated. Shades of pink set the space apart from the rest of the museum, inviting guests to be immersed in an experience. A simple material palette of terrazzo tile, white perforated metal and glass create a soft, luminous interior.