Case Study: Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant

Location: 1657 Mount Hope Ave, Rochester, NY
Focus: Atmosphere, artifact use, and cultural identity in a commercial adaptive reuse space

Abyssinia stands as a quietly powerful example of cultural storytelling through design. Nestled in a repurposed strip mall unit, it doesn’t rely on high-end materials or architectural overhaul. Instead, it layers cultural memory and meaning through selective artifacts, communal dining style, and subtle color symbolism.

  • Visual Cues: Bold red napkins evoke the Ethiopian flag and broader African identity symbolism - faith and power.

  • Artifacts: Giraffe sculptures, textiles, and traditional decorative elements transform the generic shell of the space.

  • Dining Style: Guests share large communal platters of injera and stews, fostering tactile, hands-on engagement and reinforcing family-centered experiences.

  • Adaptation: Former retail partitions and shelving were left intact and creatively reused - an excellent example of design flexibility within constraints.

The restaurant’s physical space adapts Western dining norms (tables and chairs) while holding steady to Ethiopian values of togetherness and familial hospitality. Even the odd layout becomes a canvas - offering warmth, story, and symbolism in unexpected places.

Comparative Analysis: Culturally Sensitive Housing

Focus: Residential space as a site of tension and adaptation for Arab-American and Iranian communities.

This portion of my research centered on how privacy, gender norms, hospitality, and climate-responsiveness shape residential preferences. I compared cultural design values with Western housing practices - specifically within high-density environments - and examined where friction tends to emerge.

  • Arab-American Priorities: Designated hospitality spaces, gendered bedrooms, and multi-use social areas (majilee).

  • Iranian Priorities: Privacy from outsiders, indirect entry sightlines, modular layouts, and climate-adaptive courtyards.

  • Western Mismatch: Open plans, stacked apartments, and minimal privacy can heighten cultural dissonance and economic stress for immigrants.

Specifically, I found that Iranian families may experience a greater sense of cultural discomfort due to tightly coded architectural values around privacy, hospitality, and climate-conscious mobility within the home.

Takeaways

This research deepened my understanding of how spatial cues can reinforce or erode cultural meaning, and how designers can either replicate bias or create space for diverse lived experiences. Whether analyzing a restaurant’s subtle symbolic choices or evaluating how home layouts communicate belonging, I’m most drawn to work that acknowledges design’s power to honor identity and experience.