The Heroic
Preen, Inc. used neutral tones and subtle touches of life beyond mortality in the interior design of The Heroic, a Santa Monica restaurant known for its hero sandwich.
The Heroic is a small but powerful 2800 SF Santa Monica shop redefining what it is to create the hero sandwich. It is a layered space: a lunchtime sandwich spot offering wine on the call and an urban wine garden, furthering the presentations of chef Barbara Pollastrini.
The Heroic Deli is a small space, just a few seats down and up, accentuated by a blood red light fixture arching throughout lower and upper dining. The design occurs by super-imposition and mirroring, by the reach of one object, into another dimension to visually unite an upper space that could be overlooked. It is the reach of the mighty, the one common bond that binds the two together.
End grain maple block begins at the floor and sweeps up a tall door. Another super-imposition, one of material. Enter to the wine garden, a softened space featuring a massive rolled bowtie table. Dinner is at a high format common table for lively interaction.
A hanging garden crowns diners under a hand muraled indigo ceiling of representations of the stars, an indicator of how we as humans, create worlds of meaning. A lightning bolt panel of gold punctured metal provides a backdrop for our wine laden garden of the gods.
The story of the restaurant is of character and narrative. The Heroic tells us to revel in our earthly delights. It tells of the story of the hero, that our mortality is our humanity. Hero, or hero sandwich, how amazing that something so small can be so mighty.
Design: Preen, Inc.
Photography: Brandon Barre
