La Perla Pizzeria

3840 SF; Completed in 2008

Transforming this aging yet familiar western-style ice cream parlor into a unique, iconic and authentic Neapolitan Pizzeria involved numerous changes inside and out. A transparent ‘film’ of tall windows wraps the building corner, engaging the outdoor bustle with the celebratory energy within. A steel colonnade shelters outdoor seating and marks the entrance. Inside, the entryway opens onto expansive seating areas, the wine & espresso bar, and the pizza baking area fronting a massive wood-fired oven. Old Italy is infused into this contemporary Northwest building via subtle interpretive gestures: an ordered indoor-outdoor grid of columns, a sky-lit gabled atrium, decorative steel arches, and a rich palette of textures and earthy colors. Construction materials are left partially undressed in a contemporary composition of concrete, stone, wood, steel, plaster, and sparkling colored glass.Transforming this aging yet familiar western-style ice cream parlor into a unique, iconic and authentic Neapolitan Pizzeria involved numerous changes inside and out. A transparent ‘film’ of tall windows wraps the building corner, engaging the outdoor bustle with the celebratory energy within. A steel colonnade shelters outdoor seating and marks the entrance. Inside, the entryway opens onto expansive seating areas, the wine & espresso bar, and the pizza baking area fronting a massive wood-fired oven. Old Italy is infused into this contemporary Northwest building via subtle interpretive gestures: an ordered indoor-outdoor grid of columns, a sky-lit gabled atrium, decorative steel arches, and a rich palette of textures and earthy colors. Construction materials are left partially undressed in a contemporary composition of concrete, stone, wood, steel, plaster, and sparkling colored glass.

Oversized windows and a central skylight bring daylight deep into the space, while solar heat gain is controlled via awnings, blinds, and specialty glazing. Traditional wood wainscoting is interpreted with durable off-the-shelf galvanized metal and fiber-cement panels. Roof and awning-mounted solar photovoltaic panel arrays generate electricity, offsetting the building energy use. All mechanical equipment was updated and all ducting is now under the new R-40 insulated roof. Upgraded programmable lighting controls feature zoning, dimming, and occupancy sensors.