American Roadside Burgers exterior

Wagner Murray Architects is proud to announce American Roadside Burgers (ARB) has opened its newest location at 440 S Chruch St. in downtown Charlotte, NC. Be sure to stop by and try one of their delicious burgers and if you're brave enough we recommend The Roadstar®! ARB plans to open a second Charlotte location in early spring 2012 in the South Park area. Please visit their website for more details.

American Roadside Burgers website:
http://americanroadside.com/

When patrons enter Nick’s new downtown Gastonia restaurant, they are in for a surprise - especially, if they remember its heyday as Gastonia’s only balconied downtown theater. Many of the interior historic features are intact, such as the floral molded screen surround, the tiered balcony and the original staircases leading to the upper levels of the building. During construction, the design team discovered a structural feature that they felt was better exposed than concealed. The “bridge like” riveted steel structure that holds the balcony aloft is now completely revealed, giving patrons at the four-sided bar beneath a full view of the imposing framework. A great barrel-vaulted ceiling now secures this space retaining its grandeur and height while providing an architectural feature that delivers a spacious volume with an energetic and vigorous appeal. The feel is all excitement, all energy including a new high definition 16’ wide theater screen. Sunday afternoon football fans will no longer be sitting in their living rooms in Gastonia. They’ll be at Nick’s Steak and Taphouse.

Battleground Bar - Exterior

Nick LaVecchia continues to look for opportunities outside the teaming center of Charlotte. Having established himself as one of Charlotte’s outstanding independent restaurateurs, Nick has recently opened new restaurant concepts in Belmont, Gastonia and now, Kings Mountain. Kings Mountain is steeped in Revolutionary War history. It was the turning point of the Revolutionary War when the Battle of Kings Mountain forced the British to retreat to the east coast, ultimately ending with the battle and surrender at Yorktown

Keying off this important historical point, Wagner Murray designed a restaurant that respects the tradition of Kings Mountain Main Street, while at the same time enlivening a space with historical artifacts, images and an interior of rough sawn cedar, local to the environs as an appropriately rustic decor

Battleground Bar - Dining Room

Battleground Bar - Bar

“Kings Mountain, as all small towns outside of Charlotte, are always on the verge of prosperity. These downtowns, though many have succumbed to suburban progress, have attempted to maintain their identity. Focusing on this context, we created a storefront and a destination for the community and Main Street.”

The space is adorned with typical Wagner Murray touches, including historical sketches of the key figures in the Kings Mountain battles created by Dave Wagner, principal with the firm. Also above the bar, 21 long rifles stand at attention to the prescribed military gesture, a greeting to the patrons of the bar, as well as a salute to honor the community and its military past

Battleground Bar - Portraits

A Charlotte institution, Nick LaVecchia recently relocated his 12-year-old restaurant into new digs. Slightly smaller, but still visually stimulating, the giant metal fish sculptures that graced his former space are now suspended just above reach and project a shimmering, aquatic backdrop within a colorful, vibrant setting.

The space resonates with a friendly yet exotic appeal. A landmark reborn.

“The restaurant had to present a lively dynamic; it is internal to the building, without a view to the street. We had to give the space an intimate, inherent charm, where all the focus is inward,” says design principal Dave Wagner.

Gallery:

New Tavern: Belmont, North Carolina

Next In the LaVecchia Family’s Collection of Restaurants
Opening Gala a Neighborhood Hit!

Saturday, August 7—A tavern can be best described as a place, convivial and friendly, short on attitude and long on comfort.  The designers placed great emphasis on making it a lively space with an animated atmosphere.  JAX has a deliberately unassuming exterior.   It may be hard to find, but once it is discovered, it will draw you in.  One guest at the opening described it as “the happiest place in Belmont.”

New Restaurant Design Delights, Inspires and Entertains

Wagner Murray Architects Creates Features and Focal Points to Enhance Triangular Building Plan

Being playful and being whimsical aids the creative process.  It allows non-programmed opportunities to emerge.  Being tuned to the specific design needs of the project can be a springboard to serendipity, the faculty of making discoveries by accident.

Michael LaVecchia and his partner, Chad Hollingsworth, along with Dawn LaVecchia and Tim Groody have established a landmark/ destination in Davidson, North Carolina.  A unique, triangular shaped plan, the name of the restaurant recalls the famous design of the Flatiron Building in lower Manhattan.

The designers saw an opportunity to take this plan and create a restaurant that enhances its unique geometric shape.  An octagonal shaped bar creates the focal point as the customer enters on the apex of the triangle.  In the center of the bar, a 25 tap copper, stainless and glass beer tower creates a significant special effect to the design of the restaurant.  The entry/reception contains a custom-designed, fabricated and assembled lighting fixture by the architect’s design team.  Three hundred and sixty faceted triangular shapes create a stunning visual effect with this illuminated feature.  Architect/artist David Wagner provided all of the original drawings for the restaurant which were inspired by Tim Groody’s inventive menu.  Each sketch depicts a specific serving of food captioned to the menu.  The new restaurant seats 135 patrons.

Copper, glass, stainless steel Beer Tower adds whimsy and interest to the octagonal centerpiece bar.

Multi-faceted Flatiron chandelier provides a unique lighting effect in the entry/reception area.

Original artwork by David Wagner adorns the walls.

Floor plan showing the organization and layout of the Flatiron Restaurant.

Pisces Sushi Bar & Lounge opened April 7 in The Metropolitan, a new mixed use development near downtown Charlotte. The 2,900 SF design consists of a number of visually derived elements. Sourced from the symbols and images of Eastern calligraphy and the colorful palette of food, the space provides a visually exciting template for this dynamic new restaurant.  The washed rock wall and bar tops resemble the natural and created forms of oriental design.

Pisces Sushi Bar & Lounge

The building is a new sustainable model and incorporates a number of features that are changing the use and dynamics of the regional library concept.  Heavy on IT and social and study areas, the library will support a range of ages and demographics from young children (pre-school) to senior citizens.  Various program rooms have been assigned for each of these age groups.

Wagner Murray Architects also designed all of the furniture and fixtures within the library, including the Learning Tree in the Children’s Area.

Signage throughout the library describes specific sustainable and recycled features and products within the building, including ceiling, wall and floor finishes, as well as programmed controls on lighting and HVAC systems.

Library Exterior

Children and adults gather under the Learning Tree.

A universal message is broadcast to the passerby, in the library's central reading room.

Crowds gather in the library.

This pamphlet is available at the library checkout and provides a brief primer to library users and visitors on the benefits of energy efficient and sustainable design. ©Wagner Murray Architects

Further Reading:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/277/story/1168962.html

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/galleries/gallery/1222348.html?img=1

Exterior view of the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art

Crowds gather outside the museum for the grand opening

(from left to right) Michael Godfrey, curator Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, David Wagner, principal Wagner Murray Architects, John David Wagner, David Wagner’s son and architecture student at Virginia Tech and Mario Botta, design architect for the Bechtler Museum.

Further Reading:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/165/story/1155707.html

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/408/story/1157175.html

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/875/story/1155681.html

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/165/story/1153570.html