Pasadena’s Chick-fil-A Restaurant Garners Design Award

Pasadena’s Chick-fil-A restaurant was among the honorees at the Association of Retail Environments (A.R.E.) awards in Las Vegas recently; the restaurant took home a Gold Award in the restaurant/fast food category.

The time and effort it took to get the restaurant, located at 1700 E. Colorado Boulevard, near Pasadena City College, was not a concern at the A.R.E. Awards on March 24, 2015. The fast food restaurant is one of just 22 retail spaces in the U.S. and internationally to earn the gold standard in the competition.

The restaurant was chosen, in part for its playful design elements, skylights and high ceilings that make the restaurant feel open and spacious for diners, an outdoor patio and family zone, according to the A.R.E. Winners’ Book.

Playful design elements, including in-store artwork of Chick-fil-A cows next to Pasadena landmarks, handcrafted pieces, and authentic materials evolve the brand experience. Skylights and high ceilings establish a generous and comfortable space for diners. Intuitive queue functions promote clear customer circulation. An intimate outdoor patio, family zone, and community seating create dynamic dining spaces.

Designed to fit into Pasadena’s urban fabric, the building’s engagement with the street welcomes pedestrians while the drive-through stack is hidden from view, the Association said.

The design teams included CRHO, the Tustin-based Architect of Record; the Chick-fil-A innovation and Design Team in Atlanta, Ga., the design architect; Atltanta-based Southface served as a consultant while furniture and upholstery were handled by Charter House Innovations, out of Holland Michigan.

In late 2014, restaurant moved into a space that was formerly occupied by a Burger King restaurant after several months of negotiations and design discussions with the Pasadena City Council.