NORTH COAST INN
Situated on a retired apple orchard, North Coast Inn establishes a sense of place rooted in nature, working with the landscape instead of against it.
The clients approached the design team with a vision to create a culinary experience that showcases the best of what the Midwest has to offer. Drawn to the laid-back lifestyle and beautiful landscapes of the Michigan west coast, the project is sited in Bangor, Michigan. The site was strategically chosen for its central location and will provide guests an elevated dining experience currently lacking from the area.
The building is thoughtfully positioned and configured to frame the natural landscape, creating curated views upon approach of the surrounding farmland, prairie, apple orchard, and forest. Regionally sourced materials compliment the soft light and atmosphere of the area, strengthening visitors’ perception of the connection between land and ingredients.
The plan for North Coast Inn foregoes typical restaurant layout that separates front of house programs from back of house operations to center the kitchen to open up to the dining area. The kitchen flows seamlessly into the dining area, eliminating visual and audible barriers to create transparency in the dining experience. This adjacency also increases the workflow of staff within a limited footprint, overlapping circulations to optimize efficiencies rather than duplicated programs.
Equipped with patterned window film to increase bird safety, the tall windows will display expansive views of the Midwest landscape while protecting native wildlife.
To protect the natural ecology of the site, Synecdoche worked extensively with consultants to incorporate bioswales and rain gardens into the landscape that work with the county drain on site to mitigate the effects of the new building.