Schaum Architects transforms a garage into Camaraderie

Before designs began for Camaraderie, a new fine-casual dining spot in Houston, award-winning chef and owner Shawn Gawle cooked a meal for Troy Schaum and his team at Schaum Architects. The meal was executed with precision and technique yet served with a sense of, well, camaraderie. “It was clear from that moment on that he wanted to create a space to serve exquisitely conceived and executed dishes, but generously and in an environment that felt unpretentious,” said Schaum. This ethos transformed the wood-framed, gable-roof garage, formerly being used as a metal workshop, into a restaurant that conveys the feeling of a cabin retreat in the city.

camaraderie facade in metal and blue — A new sculptural aluminum canopy creates an area for outdoor seating (Leonid Furmansky)

The building’s industrial past is certainly still felt (and maintained) in the new design. The trusses and almost all the wood framing and metal paneling were preserved in the renovation. A corrugated metal facade now greets guests with fresh pops of blue and a new sculptural aluminum canopy, whose illuminated pillars create a refined outdoor dining area.

blue-painted bar counter — Blue-painted trusses and accents continue the language of the facade inside (Leonid Furmansky)

fin-like supports — Fin-like supports are imbued with diffused lighting (Leonid Furmansky)

Inside, the garage frame gets warm and cozy. Wood panels dominate the space, punctuated by the pre-existing metal trusses, preserved concrete flooring, and new skylights, bringing natural daylight into the main dining area. The contrast between the industrial building and welcoming touches reflects Gawle’s own cuisine and vision for the restaurant.

skylights in wooden restaurant — The metal trusses were preserved and exposed in the new design (Leonid Furmansky)

New elements continue the warm hospitality: wooden banquettes, wall-hung plants, and a movable wine storage rack that also holds plants and creates spatial division. A painted, perforated metal bar echoes the blue facade and enlivens the space.

custom wooden banquette — Custom wooden banquettes add warmth to the interior (Leonid Furmansky)

schaum architects design fine dining — Custom storage for wine also acts as a plant holder and room divider (Leonid Furmansky)

The layout of the 2,200-square-foot space sits 75 seats, oriented toward an open kitchen. “The open kitchen was an important aspect of the project from our very first conversation with [Gawle]. The process is on full display, with a large butcher block counter where food will be prepped and plated, projecting out into the middle of the dining room like a stage,” said Andrea Brennan of Schaum Architects.

The result is an interior that feels like an urban cabin; It’s inviting, comfortable, and full of wood, but slotted into a garage in the middle of the city. In other words, the design, much like Camaraderie’s food, pairs together a sense of the refined yet causal.

Schaum Architects transforms a garage into a warm wooden cabin for Houston restaurant Camaraderie

Gabled Grub

.cls-1 { fill: #1d1d1b; }