starbucks reserve roastery opens in new york's meatpacking district

following the opening of its first location in italy, starbucks reserve roastery new york debuts in downtown manhattan. located in the meatpacking district at 9th and 15th street, the new york location marks starbucks fourth roastery worldwide and the second location in the united states. chief design officer liz muller curated the interior as a theatrical celebration of the craft of coffee as well as the industrial heritage of the historic meatpacking district. from bean to cup, the roasting process is architecturalized as a performative element and is exhibited throughout the sweeping interior. the new york reserve roastery — with the arriviamo cocktail bar and milanese princi bakery — joins locations in seattle, shanghai and milan with future openings coming to tokyo and chicago in 2019. designboom was invited to be among the first to see the space during an exclusive preview event.

all images by matthew glac photography

starbucks reserve roastery new york embodies the bustling spirit of new york city. it is, at its core, a working coffee roastery whose infrastructure is integrated into the architecture and whose operations are displayed as a part of the immersive experience. every day starbucks ‘master roasters,’ who have trained for years in the craft of coffee roasting, will be small-batch roasting starbucks rarest single-origin coffees and blends called starbucks reserve. those coffees are then either shipped to select starbucks stores around the world, or served fresh at the roastery after traveling overhead through a sculptural network of copper and transparent pipes.

together with the reserve roastery, starbucks debuts its ‘arriviamo bar’ to the dynamic nightlife scene downtown, inspired by the italian aperitivo. overlooking the bustling roastery, the cocktail bar spans sixty feet and emanates a blend of milanese and new york city atmosphere. cocktails featuring coffee and tea will be served by expert mixologists, curated by award-winning mixologist julia momose. the arriviamo bar will also serve a selection of beer, wine and classic cocktails.

the modular clustering of the sculptural ceiling serves to control the acoustics of the immense space. to maximize occupiable area, chief designer liz muller split the interior into three levels. these three zones are tied together with a rhythmic ‘ribbon’ of thin, vertical wooden members. this ribbon most notably defines the ceiling beneath the cocktail mezzanine, as the undulating surface integrates narrow strips of lighting.