01 / equator coffees, culver city — photo: fred licht
design with a point of view, right down to the floor plan.
we listen first. each project starts with a story: we start wide, then cut deep.
precise enough to trust, strange enough to remember.
Every room. Every phase.
Every note behind it.
case studies
the full story of each room.
What the operator needed, how the room was designed to work, and what it took to build it.
read the case studies →field notes
the thinking behind the rooms.
Short notes for operators: choosing a designer, writing a brief, and the decisions that shape a room.
read the field notes →questions
all field notes →what is an operator-first design firm?
A design firm that treats the operator’s business as the brief, so layout, equipment, workflow and finishes are designed around how the place runs and what it needs to earn. read more →
what kinds of projects does KPHD design?
Restaurants, bars, cafés and hotels. The studio is based in Los Angeles and has completed projects across Southern California and beyond. read more →
does KPHD design back of house?
Yes. Equipment design, workflow and process are part of KPHD’s design work, alongside the guest-facing spaces. read more →
does KPHD work with engineers and kitchen consultants?
Yes, where code or complexity requires them. KPHD leads the design and coordinates those specialists so the project holds together. read more →
what should i look for in a hospitality designer?
For KPHD, three things matter when choosing a hospitality designer: process clarity, a point of view, and operational empathy. Ask about the middle of a project as well as the finished room. read more →