Meet the founders of Cluck Design Collaborative, who make it their mission to bring Charlotte designs that enrich lives.
The architects of Cluck Design Collaborative, who brought you the design of beloved Charlotte restaurants like Haberdish, Moo & Brew, Free Range Brewing, and countless others, are transforming Charlotte one project at a time.
Cluck’s driving mission is simple, but characteristically thoughtful: They aim to bring joy to their audience and to make smart, socially responsible, and enriching design accessible for all by “collaborating with fellow architects, builders, artists, craftsmen, and others outside of the traditional architectural model.”
The fact that their office is located directly behind their own bicycle shop and bar should tell you something: These guys are doing something a little different. Kevin Kennedy and Chris Scorsone are the architects—North Carolina natives, and longtime friends—behind the unique company. Their easygoing attitudes and humor makes it apparent they don’t take themselves too seriously. But when it comes to their work, it’s a whole different story.
We’ve never been the firm with the ego that says ‘this is our style and if you hire us, you’re going to get this.’
Both architects graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and worked at local architecture firms before joining forces to found Cluck. Kevin’s concentration in digital design and technology, along with Chris’s concentration in sketching, construction, woodwork, and steel fabrication bring the best of both worlds when it comes to design and architecture.
“The alchemy of our digital and analog processes has been very exciting, and we feel that we are only beginning to tap into our potential,” Kevin says.
One priority is for each project to be unique. Each client is different and, thus, each project is catered to their specific needs and desires.
“We’ve never been the firm with the ego that says ‘this is our style and if you hire us, you’re going to get this,’” Chris explains.
Instead, they call themselves “portrait artists” who reflect the characters of their clients in their designs—“we draw a portrait, and if it’s a self-portrait, we’re doing it wrong,” says Kevin.
Their vast portfolio encompasses an abundance of global projects, including private residences, retail, furniture, and restaurants. But Kevin and Chris particularly enjoy working on restaurants, breweries, cafes, and public gathering spaces—the real community centers—the places that give the Queen City life.
“The architects coordinate and set the stage, but the occupants make a space come alive,” they explain.
Some of their favorite restaurant projects include Haberdish, Southbound, TheSuffolk Punch, and of course, their very own The Spoke Easy. Kevin and Chris successfully cater to new design trends in innovative ways that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also work operationally and economically. Current trends that they’ve seen and incorporated into their projects are fast casual restaurants and an improvement of outdoor spaces. At Southbound, for example, there’s “a large covered patio connected to the largest door [they’ve] ever designed so that the indoor and outdoor spaces are seamless.”
The architects coordinate and set the stage, but the occupants make a space come alive.
Cluck also does its part in helping the community, too. Outside of Charlotte, Cluck has donated design services to the Haiti Clinic, and The Spoke Easy organizes bicycle rides, lectures, and events such as Rooftop Yoga whose proceeds are all donated to their Haiti project. Kevin and Chris are both involved with student critiques and lectures at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Clemson University as well.
The Suffolk Punch is finally open, and it’s quite the space. Keep an eye out for Cluck’s upcoming projects around Charlotte, including Petty Thieves Brewing, Queen City Grounds, Moo & Brew NoDa, and Common Market South End, just to name a few.
The Suffolk Punch and Hyde Brewing
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