RODE Architects completes design of Commonwealth restaurant/bar and food market in Kendall Square

RODE Architects, an emerging firm specializing in design for the urban environment, completed the design of Commonwealth, the newly opened combined restaurant/bar and food market owned by former Fenway Park executive chef Steve "Nookie" Postal. Located on the ground floor of Watermark II, a new modern full-service high-rise apartment complex at 250 Kendall St. in Cambridge's Kendall Sq. neighborhood, Commonwealth features a 5,200 s/f restaurant/bar, 1,300 s/f marketplace, private dining room, and outdoor patio. RODE has a growing portfolio in hospitality, specifically providing design input on complex, concept-driven restaurants. "Through this crazy long and sometimes painful process, RODE has done an awesome job capturing my vision for Commonwealth," said Postal. "Their hard work and commitment throughout the project, from picking out antiques at Brimfield to adjusting the lights on Friends and Family Night, has been seriously appreciated." RODE worked closely with Boston-based general contractor, Cafco Construction, on the project. Restaurant projects represent unique opportunities to blend a chef's vision with the architectural response specific to a location and its spatial characteristics, lighting, and materiality. RODE envisioned a material palette of large rough architectural elements paired with warm rustic surfaces. This approach complemented the chef's vision for connecting his patrons to the farm fresh ingredients that evolve with the seasons. Backlit reclaimed wooden pallets create a lighting and visual patterning which echo the construction techniques of a rural Vermont barn. A copper bar and market counter with brick and custom steel light fixtures complete the design aesthetic. Founded in 2005, RODE Architects is an emerging firm specializing in design for the urban environment. RODE's approach to design follows a flexible and creative process that molds the client's ideas, experiences, and goals into spaces that exceed expectations. Known for tight collaboration with its clients, RODE provides a range of design services, from master planning and feasibility surveys to project management and innovative architectural solutions. The firm's diverse design portfolio includes commercial, institutional, multi-family, and residential projects.