At Fix Coffee + Bikes, a longstanding tradition of cyclists and coffee collides in this compact yet ambitious hybrid that merges specialty coffee, retail, and full-service bike repair. The objective – to deliver 280 SM (3,000 SF) of functional programming within an economical 88 SM (950 SF) footprint. Recognizing that community-oriented spaces take time to anchor, the design prioritizes cost-effectiveness, guided by methodical programming, a laboratory-level ergonomics for bike servicing, and a precise spatial assessment of circulation. The inspiration – like a bike itself – the space and its aesthetics are defined by the utility of movement, ergonomics, and mechanics, with any flourish arising from necessity. An iterative exploration narrowed the design to a single four-dimensional arrangement, nestling mezzanine structural requirements within the lease framework as delicately as required to fit within the space. Layered with the demands of architectural space and tight constraints, the result is an environment more akin to a finely tuned race car than a traditional bike shop - the mechanics peeking out from an expressive, but fundamentally purpose-built shell.

Entering partially compressed beneath a softened, pristine volume and partially within the lofty concrete retail shell sets the stage for a carefully choreographed sequence of movement. Cost-efficiencies become a design advantage, leveraging the raw, durable quality of the existing space and introducing carbon-steel elements to define retail, bikes, and high-traffic circulation, contrasted with higher-finish interfaces for coffee-making centred on the ground floor and bike servicing contained within a mezzanine floating above. Informal perimeter bench seating and flexible display reinforce the massive concrete columns supporting the 40-storey tower above, subtly guiding coffee customers in and out. The mezzanine, pulled away from the glazing to maximize natural light to the coffee area, creates a dynamic relationship between the storefront, ground floor, and mezzanine. At one end, a large cellular beam supports and maintains visual continuity of the structure above, while marking an opening where coffee retail, bike apparel, and coffee pick-up intersect. At the other end, rounding the white customer-facing shell reveals an inner pink staff interface as the stair touches down lightly at the only interior column - a moment where the two spatial languages converge, gesturing upward to the activity above. Opposite, the stair is framed by a vertical bike display and pulley retrieval system, reinforcing the movement of people and bikes through the space.

Above, a linear mezzanine accommodates ideal workstation layouts. Parsing the building code to maximize the footprint, the stairs and landing structure are isolated from the mezzanine, while the curved form is driven by spatial efficiency and smoothing circulation pinch points below. Overhead, highly coordinated mechanical systems achieve minimum floor-to-ceiling heights, spilling from a bright, smooth ceiling that diffuses workspace light. Wheel storage appropriates space at smaller perimeter ducts, compressing mechanical into a tightly calibrated volume; every activity and tool contained within a pink field, with activity below as backdrop. Washrooms below and an enclosed back-of-house to isolate sound and fumes conceal a rigid post-and-beam system that anchors the projecting mezzanine - a structural gesture that appears to quietly defy gravity.