The Culinary Institute | Feasibility & Design Study

Designing a modern culinary school requires navigating complex health codes, high-capacity ventilation requirements, and student safety. For this project, Razi Architects developed two distinct architectural strategies to help the client weigh the benefits of ground-up development versus sustainable reuse.

Option A: Vertical Campus (New Construction) To maximize the buildable area on a constrained site, we proposed a 3-story vertical campus. The ground floor activates the street with a public-facing cafe, while the upper levels feature state-of-the-art teaching kitchens. The design integrates cantilevered balconies to provide students with outdoor break areas without sacrificing floor area.

Option B: Adaptive Reuse (The 'Transparency' Model) Prioritizing sustainability and safety, this option repurposes an existing 2-story structure. The design philosophy centers on 'Visible Learning'—creating sightlines from the corridors into the classrooms. This extensive use of interior glazing not only enhances student safety (passive supervision) but also turns the cooking process into a visual showcase for visitors.

Exterior concept design and feasibility study for Culinary school and education center.
Exterior concept design and feasibility study for an adaptive resuse building. Modern two-story building with a colorful abstract mural on the exterior walls, glass windows, and a small bus stop in front.
A culinary classroom with students in chef uniforms working with food ingredients. A woman chef in white attire and a chef hat is smiling and holding a pastry. There are tables with prepared dishes, and large windows showing trees and a yellow train
A modern library reading room with large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a desert landscape with mountains in the distance. There are five people, some reading and some working on laptops, and a shelf with books along the window walls.