Lauren Chipman, CEO, Chipman Design ArchitectureLauren Chipman, CEO, Chipman Design ArchitectureLauren Chipman is the CEO of Chipman Design Architecture in Des Plaines, Ill. The firm has six offices across the country, in New York City, Atlanta, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Portland, Ore.

Chipman designs for restaurants ranging from quick service to upscale locations, including Chick-fil-A, Noodles & Company and independently operated venues like Make Room for Truman in Park Ridge, Ill. But the project Chipman is proudest of to date is the Time Out Market in Chicago, a 50,000-square-foot, three-story food hall with 19 kiosks and four bars, a speakeasy and a rooftop bar. “It was an honor to be able to work with a team to define how Chicago is expressed through that food hall,” she says.

How and why did you get into restaurant design?

LC: I have a very unorthodox past. The majority of my childhood and early adult life, I was a classical musician, playing the viola. But I grew up around architecture. My mom and dad founded Chipman Design Architecture in 1979 and would come home and talk about their work around the dinner table. Ten years ago, they asked me to join the firm, which I thought was crazy — yet I’ve always loved design, so I took a leap of faith.

I have since had the opportunity to go back to school to get my Masters of Architecture and am halfway through my AREs (Architect Registration Examinations). It’s interesting going back to school in your late 30s/early 40s. It has been
a great opportunity to supplement my love of the business with technical knowledge. 

I was named CEO of Chipman Design Architecture in 2016, and it took me a good four years to understand what the role meant. It was an extraordinary opportunity to learn on the job, and just as I was getting into my groove, COVID came. 

Restaurant design is near and dear to my heart because so much of the time when you talk to people about a favorite memory, it involves food and being at a restaurant. 

Chipman Design Architecture has a long history of working on restaurants and other projects like Jeni's Ice Cream Shops and Puttshack eatertainment venues.  Images courtesy of Chipman Design ArchitectureChipman Design Architecture has a long history of working on restaurants and other projects like Jeni's Ice Cream Shops and Puttshack eatertainment venues. Images courtesy of Chipman Design Architecture

What changes have you brought about in eight years of being CEO?

LC: It’s been a redefining of best practices — how we lead, onboard and train. I truly believe we are a training firm. We invest in our team members and really want to see them succeed. From the business perspective, I am constantly looking to diversify our client base. We started with Blockbuster Video and Boston Market, which did not go on forever. Who is that next up-and-coming restaurant client? That next coffee or hospitality client, who is going to really excite our team and contribute to the long history of Chipman to come?

What aspects of restaurant design do you find A) most challenging and B) most rewarding?

LC: The most rewarding thing is how many people we’re affecting with every single restaurant we design — not just the guests coming in, but the server, the operator, the manager, the people working back of house. There are so many people’s lives who are touched by that restaurant. We have to think about the experience of the hostess, the barback, the back of house — because if we don’t, we’ve failed. We make sure we are being intentional in all touch points.

The most challenging aspect is always the mechanical systems. I recently had a dining experience in Los Angeles, and it was so smoky in the restaurant that it made for an incredibly unpleasant experience. It goes back to thinking through every single piece, making sure things are coordinated and making sure we’re asking the right questions at the beginning of the project. 

Chipman Design Architecture has a long history of working on restaurants and other projects like Jeni's Ice Cream Shops and Puttshack eatertainment venues.  Images courtesy of Chipman Design Architecture

How do you keep up with trends in restaurant design?

LC: I do a fair amount of travel, and I love eating out. I try to stay on top of social media and follow accounts that can act as an educational platform. 

But something we’ve introduced recently at Chipman Design is a company-wide initiative called Inspiration Station, where employees can share design inspiration. It consists of a Microsoft Teams channel that’s used to share off-the-cuff experiences as well as a monthly design workshop, which has recently featured seminars including a presentation called “Details: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.” It also features a quick design charette, where team members recently had an hour to rethink and sketch a QSR POS station based on a design brief and accompanying mood board. It’s an opportunity to encourage design discourse outside of everyday project work.

What are some big trends you’re seeing right now?

LC: Something I’ve been seeing a lot of is variety in seating, which allows a space to be more intimate, even if it’s a larger space. It also allows for different experiences and gives people a reason to return, to sit in other areas or to not go somewhere else at the end of the night.

The different seating areas can feel like niches, and sometimes we’ll drop down the ceiling or add statement light fixtures or acoustical panels, which can create zones. People are looking for an experience they can’t have anywhere else.

We’re continuing to see outdoor dining, and it’s not going away. Cooler climates are looking to elongate the season as much as possible, and clients are asking for more permanent structures. Some of our Southern clients are also looking at outdoor dining and how to mitigate the heat through louvres, misters, to make it as weather-resistant as possible.

How are you using technology/AI in your work?

LC: ChatGPT is very helpful for some of the narrative writing we do, but I like to view AI as a co-pilot,
not an autopilot. We use it the most for image generation for quick imagery. I like using it for when we’re putting together a mood board. I can have the idea in my head, but I can’t find the exact image, so I use it to create that image. For renderings, we’re not there yet. We’re making sure we stay on top of it and are not intimidated by it. We don’t want to get left behind. 

Do you still play the viola?

LC: Yes, but not as much as I’d like. We recently had a talent show at Chipman Design, and I practiced for a couple of nights. +

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