Brand-Led Roastery & Studio Interior Design — 200m² Saudi Specialty Coffee Brand

We are looking for an interior designer with proven experience in F&B or retail brand-led environments (not residential) to design a 200m² specialty coffee roastery and content studio in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. The project is for AWB, a Saudi specialty coffee brand with an established, locked visual identity, a stable customer base, and an ongoing roastery operation. Your role will be to translate this brand system into the spatial and operational plan of our new roastery and purpose-built content studio—not to create a new brand direction. The space is divided into five main zones, with careful attention required for production flow, camera positioning, and visitor experience, in that order of priority. All visuals and materials must strictly adhere to the brand’s set color palette and architectural features. Key deliverables include a zoning plan, three types of flow diagrams, 3D renders with camera perspectives, a dual-layer lighting plan, a material schedule with suppliers, a detailed design of the signature Bag Numbering Station, and a phased execution plan with budget estimates. Only designers with a documented portfolio in brand-led F&B or retail projects should apply. Please be prepared to work under clear direction, maintain the locked brand identity, and focus on creating a space optimized for camera and operational efficiency rather than traditional visitor-centric or decorative approaches.

Budget range:
$250 – $750

Examples:
PRIMARY REFERENCES — Brand-Led Roasteries & Production Spaces

1. Onibus Coffee Roastery (Tokyo) — production-first space with content-aware design
   https://www.onibuscoffee.com

2. The Barn Roastery (Berlin) — industrial roastery as visitor experience
   https://thebarn.de

3. Coffee Collective Roastery (Copenhagen) — minimal Scandinavian production space
   https://coffeecollective.dk

4. Aesop stores (global) — locked brand identity translated into spatial design
   https://www.aesop.com/us/stores

5. Le Labo workshops (NYC, Tokyo) — apothecary-as-production aesthetic, raw materials
   https://www.lelabofragrances.com

MATERIAL & ATMOSPHERE REFERENCES

6. Vincenzo De Cotiis Architects — raw-edge travertine, brass, dark wood, moody lighting
   https://decotiis.it

7. Studio KO — earthy palette, handcraft details, Mediterranean-meets-Arabic sensibility
   https://www.studioko.fr

8. David Thulstrup — material-led Scandinavian interiors with warmth (e.g. Noma)
   https://studiodavidthulstrup.com

CONTENT-AWARE HOSPITALITY

9. % Arabica stores — minimal architecture engineered for content production
   https://arabica.coffee

10. Blue Bottle Roasteries (Kiyosumi, Tokyo) — production visible as theater
    https://bluebottlecoffee.com

NOTES FOR APPLICANTS:

• I’m NOT looking for traditional Arabic or Saudi-themed decor
• I’m NOT looking for “modern minimalist” Pinterest aesthetic
• The closest spirit is: Italian raw materials × Japanese precision × Saudi cultural anchoring
• Color world is dark, warm, earthy — never bright or airy
• Reference material: raw travertine, dark walnut, maroon leather, aged brass, warm tungsten lighting

About the client
I’m the founder of AWB — a Saudi specialty coffee brand with a fully developed identity system, locked brand book, and an active roastery operation. I’m not testing an idea; I’m scaling a brand that already has a defined visual language, customer base, and production model. This project is the buildout of our 200m² roastery and content studio in Al Khobar. The brand identity is already finalized — I’m hiring a designer to translate it into space, not to redesign it. I work decisively, pay on milestones, and value designers who can hold a strong point of view while respecting locked inputs. I have a Q-Grader and CVA Sensory background and approach this project with the same precision I apply to coffee quality.