Skift Take
Hotels have a serious, and highly caffeinated, competitor on their hands.
Hotels have made great strides adapting to remote workers during the pandemic, but coffee shops are evolving too. Now, new design features are spreading out into the wider hospitality sector, according to one architect. Goodbye grab-and-go, hello comfy seating and hangout areas.
Many employees flocked to the likes of Starbucks and Pret A Manger. But in Washington, D.C., a multidisciplinary practice called //3877 is specializing in designing cafes fit for the modern remote worker. And it's never been busier.
The architect works with brands like Slipstream and Freshman. “A lot of our clients are cafes that do a lot more day-to-night. As the demand changed, they expanded with that,” said co-founder David Tracz.
“They’ve changed their entire program. They do full cafe service in the morning, then all the way until night with a food and cocktail program. And people who live around there use it as a good workspace, they work all day, from the coffee in the morning to cocktails at night."
