Now Boarding: Skate Culture at the San Diego Airport
At San Diego International Airport, one restaurant decided the ceiling should double as a skatepark. At Novecientos Grados layovers turn into tiny adventures.
Travel days usually serve up two options: sprinting to your gate with a granola bar or settling for whatever’s closest to the moving walkway. But in San Diego International Airport, travelers get something far better—a chance to hang out inside Tony Hawk’s brain for a minute. Naturally, Akarstudios made sure it’s the cool part of his brain.
Welcome to Novecientos Grados, a Mexican concept by the legendary skateboarder, Tony Hawk. Named after his iconic 900-degree spin, Novecientos Grados translates to “nine hundred degrees”—a direct nod to the Mexican influence of the restaurant. Akarstudios took that idea, cranked it up to, well... 900 degrees, and designed a space that feels like a friendly collision between skatepark grit, airport polish, and a whole lot of energy.
Skate Ramps Overhead? Absolutely.
Most airport bars play it safe. Brushed metal. Neutral upholstery. A plant someone forgot to water. But Akarstudios showed up with a different game plan: treat the ceiling like a skatepark and build sculptural ramps over the bar. Yes—ramps. Over the bar.
It’s the kind of daring move that makes travelers look up mid–chips and guac and think, “Hold on… is that a half-pipe?” And they’re not just there to look cool—they’re a nod to the name, the culture, and the icon himself.
Wheels, Boards, and San Diego Soul
Instead of tiptoeing around the theme, Akarstudios leaned in. Hard.
Skateboard wheels? Worked right into fixtures and retail moments. Boards? Suspended above the dining area in a full-blown art installation. Graphics? A mash-up of urban texture, local landmarks, and bright personality—crafted in-house so nothing feels borrowed or watered down.
Even the bar glass got custom treatment—etched with patterns inspired by traditional Mexican embroidery. It’s one of those details guests don’t expect, but once they notice it, they instantly understand the thoughtfulness baked into the space.
Akarstudios: Multidisciplinary Masters
If Akarstudios had a résumé, it would need three extra pages. Branding? Check. Graphics? Check. Interiors, architecture, lighting design, and furniture specification? Also check.
Which is exactly why the space feels cohesive. Nothing arrives as an afterthought. Everything, down to the last upholstery decision, gets the microscope treatment. They’re proudly picky, and the airport dining world is better for it.
Playful, Energetic, and Impossible to Ignore
Of everything they created, Akarstudios loved the freedom the most. The project let them push graphics, experiment with textures, and let their creative energy run wild—no corporate guidelines hovering like a TSA agent.
They infused the brand, the culture, and the city itself into a space that makes layovers feel like less of an inconvenience and more of an experience. Raw metal finishes helped the furniture slide right into that skate-meets-urban aesthetic, while warm wood tones played nicely with the ramps and graffiti-forward graphics. The result? Seating that actually feels like part of the story, not the hotel-lobby-cousin that somehow wandered in.
Novecientos Grados isn’t just a pit stop. It’s a vibe—served at cruising altitude. Travelers might come for tacos, but they leave with a story… preferably one that starts with, “So I was sitting under a skate ramp at the airport…”
