Brooklyn studio GRT Architects has completed Bad Roman Beverly Hills, the second location of the restaurant concept created with hospitality group Quality Branded. Building on the original Manhattan restaurant that opened in 2023, the project adapts the brand’s maximalist aesthetic to a classic Los Angeles bowstring-truss building.
The exterior introduces wavy green striping across the facade, checkerboard stone and tile surrounds, glass-block windows, and red neon signage that extends the restaurant’s visual presence onto the street. Ancient Roman references appear throughout the design, including serpent motifs, mythological figures, and a boar sculpture inspired by a marble original in Florence’s Uffizi Gallery.
GRT Architects transformed the industrial shell with tinted natural cork applied across the exposed trussed ceiling to absorb sound and light while creating a darker atmosphere. Neon installations by Danielle Bonnet weave through chandeliers and wall sconces, while custom bas-relief snakes emerge from tiled surfaces throughout the restaurant. Antique mirrors, embroidered upholstery, stone checkerboard detailing, and sculptural hardware reinforce the layered interior.
Image Credit: Wonho Frank Lee
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Neo-classical Maximalism
- A resurgence of ancient motifs combined with layered ornamentation creates opportunities for new hybrid design languages that blur historical reference with contemporary brand storytelling.
- Patterned-facade Retail Activation
- Bold exterior treatments and street-facing signage amplify curb appeal and open possibilities for façades to become experiential marketing canvases that extend a venue’s identity into public space.
- Sensory-driven Material Palettes
- The deliberate use of tactile cork, textured tile, and reflective antiques signals demand for multi-sensory interiors that redefine comfort, acoustics, and atmosphere in commercial venues.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Restaurant Hospitality
- Designer-forward dining concepts are shifting guest expectations, creating room for operators to offer immersive environments where storytelling and menu experience are tightly integrated.
- Architectural Materials
- Innovations in sound-absorbing, sculptable, and decorative materials suggest a market for multifunctional surfacing products that combine acoustic performance with strong aesthetic expression.
- Lighting and Neon Artisanship
- Custom neon and sculptural lighting treatments are emerging as signature brand elements, presenting potential for specialized makers to supply programmable, art-focused illumination solutions.
