When we began work on The Social Network’s 28,000 square foot cafeteria / auditorium, we focused on the diverse performative aspects of the hybrid program to drive the architectural response.

The cafeteria, open and lively, needed to be able to accommodate up to 3,500 employees and guests for any given meal as well as expand into the adjacent courtyard. The auditorium then needed to close, armadillo-like, into a secure environment for weekly a “all hands” presentation and global simulcast. A pixelated, undulating ceiling surface of vertically hung acoustical panels swathed in shades of blue reinforce the sight lines required for the auditorium use, while creating compressed, intimate dining zones in ancillary areas of the space.

To aid in the transformation of the space from cafeteria to dining, the floor is patterned with color coded table and chair registers for three different seating scenes that act as a cleverly utilitarian decoration.

Diners are channeled through two separate queuing zones: to the kitchen interface and into the dining space. The queuing zones, designed with The Social Network’s interaction designers, are lit with soft 8-bit LED interactive walls that create a visually rich and active space while people wait.

Taking advantage of our extensive hospitality experience, we were also tapped to design the campus’ burger shack and pizza place. The food concepts, independent from the main cafeteria, add to the neighborhood feel of the The Social Network grounds and complement the playfulness and casual work environment.

All images © Jasper Sanidad

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