Symetra Center

Symetra was a collaborative, multi-year project focused on reimagining the ground floor of Symetra Center, transforming it into an inviting community space and café for building tenants. The project was recognized with Redevelopment of the Year in 2025.

Custom ceramic and wood light fixtures, bespoke furniture, and a reclaimed tree salvaged from the site and thoughtfully integrated into the design are just a few of the elements that make the space unique. The scope included the design, fabrication, and installation of custom architectural elements throughout the space, ensuring a cohesive vision from concept through completion.

The café has been exceptionally well received, and its design language and material palette have since influenced new Café Hagen locations. Ongoing support has continued beyond project completion through maintenance, repairs, and refinements to furniture and other custom elements, helping preserve the integrity of the space over time.

The column tables incorporated throughout the café provide flexible gathering space for everyday collaboration as well as larger reserved events.

Column Tables

Their dimensions were intentionally developed to accommodate ADA accessibility, ensuring comfortable use for guests in wheelchairs.

Each tabletop is constructed from hand-finished, rift-cut white oak veneer plywood, laminated and machined in-house. A blackened steel frame provides the strength and durability required for a high-traffic public environment while complementing the material palette of the surrounding space.

The TILX fixtures were designed as a modular lighting system capable of creating dynamic compositions within a variety of architectural environments.

TILX Lights

At the core of each fixture is a CNC-cut internal structure engineered to assemble without glue or specialized fasteners, simplifying fabrication while maintaining structural integrity.

LED strips and aluminum heat sinks wrap the internal frame, which is clad in book-matched white oak panels that highlight the natural character of the material. Light is softened through frosted acrylic diffusers that are heat-formed to follow the fixture’s overall geometry, creating an even illumination while reinforcing its sculptural form.