From its earliest years as a city right up until the present, Salt Lake City’s vibrant Main Street has never lost its title of “hotspot.” Stretching south from central Temple Square, the four blocks closest to to downtown are a harmonious blend of historic and contemporary, with the newest and most exciting restaurants in the state right next door to some of Salt Lake’s most long-respected establishments.
Our journey with the management group of the Historic Boston Building on Main Street began when they entrusted us with the exciting task of collaborating with a prospective new restaurant tenant. Their vision was to transform the space where the original Maxwell's once stood on the first floor, facing Main Street, into a high-end restaurant that would add flair to the building.
The stars aligned in our initial meeting with Brandon and his team. We shared a creative direction, and the ideas flowed freely as we discussed their dream for the restaurant. Our team was deeply invested in helping them bring their vision to life, and we recognized the immense potential of the space to become a dining destination that exuded elegance and atmosphere.
From the very beginning, we undertook a comprehensive approach to the project, ensuring that every aspect of the design aligned with the vision for the full experience at Aker, the new dining concept. In addition to architectural and interior finishes, our team took on the responsibility of designing the furniture package. This level of involvement allowed us to curate a cohesive and immersive dining experience, where every detail would contribute to the ambiance.
From interiors to furniture, our design for Aker is full of references to its context: we constantly aimed to balance historic, tasteful elements formed in natural materials, with stylish, contemporary details to elevate the entire atmosphere. We felt that the most authentic dining experience would only be achieved by designing with the building, location, and surrounding city in mind, and that geographic context was important through our entire process.
Our design decisions were also closely connected to the chef’s role in Aker’s development. Our team spent time understanding the vision for the menu, using the culinary experience as inspiration for the level of opulence we created in the materials, lighting, and textures.
Project No: 2225
Client: Brandon Hargett
Completed: Under Construction
Budget: $2,000,000
Size: 5,000+ SF
Architect: mow
Interiors: mow
Manage: Vectra Management Group
Elec: EELD Engineers
Mech: WHW Engineering
Struc: BHB Engineering
Construction: VDC Construction
Furniture: Midwest Com Interiors
Art / Brand: mow
