Lou Lou on Market

This 137-year-old building at 812 E. Market Street was transformed from empty storefront to into a multi-level restaurant, outdoor dining area and art studio. CARMAN provided comprehensive site design for the restaurant development. The project included the renovation and adaptive reuse of a historic building and the associate site located in the NuLu district just east of downtown Louisville.

The courtyard functions as three separate but interconnected spaces. The first, a gathering and lounge area with fire pit, a curved seat wall for informal seating and a water feature to provide white noise. Moving into the courtyard you come to the more formal seating and dining area. The back area of the courtyard provides a more secluded area for private parties as well as an informal stage for live music and other performance gatherings. The concept behind the courtyard was to create a lush and inviting space in the midst of a harsh urban environment. Unique design features include the curvilinear design and seating ‘pods’, a meandering water feature, a slightly sunken area with a built-in gas fire bowl, custom stone benches and lush landscaping.