With a long-standing relationship at the core, Graham Baba Architects partnered with Tutta Bella to reimagine their brand as the entire ground floor experience of a new 23-story residential tower in Seattle, called REN. This 5,956-square-foot downtown location offers more than just a great pizza – it blends restaurant, café, bar, and Italian market into a single, multifaceted gathering space.
The design is anchored by a generous bar that serves as the project’s sculptural centerpiece. An oversized, custom installation developed in collaboration with Resolute draws the eye upward and brings scale and warmth to the high-ceilinged space. Material choices throughout are durable and warm, echoing Tutta Bella’s charm while fitting into the architectural language of the tower.
Unique to this location is the addition of a coffee shop and market—Tutta Bella’s first foray into micro-provisioning. Tucked alongside the main restaurant and bar, the café offers residents and neighbors fresh espresso and curated Italian goods. Together, the components flow into one another and into the adjacent residential lobby, creating a unified experience that blurs the line between public and private amenity.
Working within the shell of the newly constructed tower presented technical hurdles. Integrating restaurant systems—especially ventilation for cooking—within a high-rise meant reconciling building limitations with culinary needs.
This is the seventh collaboration between Graham Baba and Tutta Bella. This downtown location is the first to be imagined from scratch—the result is a thoughtfully integrated amenity for a growing neighborhood, and a bold step forward for a beloved local brand.
Graham Baba design team
Jim Graham, Principal in Charge
Liz Kee, Project Manager
Kate Bogenschutz, Project Architect
Caitlin Molenaar, Interior Design
Tae Kim, Architect/Interior Design
Project team
Architecture / Interiors: Graham Baba Architects
General Contractor: Axiom Construction Lighting: SparkLab
Custom Lighting Fabrication: Resolute
Client: Tutta Bella
Photography
Alessandra Brescia
