> This project brought new life to the little-used faculty cafe at the Shawsheen Valley Regional Technical High School. The vision was to create an oasis that would give teachers a respite from the classroom spaces where they spend much of their day; a place to refuel, socialize and enjoy lunch with co-workers. The 700-square-foot cafe includes a new service line with integrated hot and cold plates, as well as other new kitchen equipment, so that faculty no longer have to purchase their lunch in the adjacent kitchen. A new brick wall, reclaimed wood, and seagrass glass panels introduced natural elements into the space that help to create the rustic "farm to table" feeling we worked to achieve through the design. With no natural daylighting, lighting fixtures were also carefully considered to help soften the quality of the interior space, and a mirror along the back wall serves to make the small space feel larger and more open. Within the limits of budget and space constraints, we worked creatively to transform the cafe using materials and elements like low walls and a drop ceiling grid that help to create defined seating areas.