Joanna Hong and Tobias Wacker wanted to create an urban space for young professionals and graduate students ever since they themselves were graduate students at Taubman College.

Hong, M.U.P. 2009, and Wacker, M.U.P. 2008, created that space with their new café called lab—referred to on their website as “a coffee + tea + yogurt experience”—in downtown Ann Arbor.

lab is a modern space designed by Taubman College faculty members and principals of PLY Architecture, Craig Borum and Karl Daubmann. Alex Timmer, a Taubman College alumnus (B.S. 2009) and designer at PLY Architecture also worked on the project. Tony Belcure was the general contractor for the project and a key member of the collaboration.

lab opened March 23, 2010, and is located at 505 E. Liberty St. in McKinley Towne Centre in downtown Ann Arbor. Tentative hours are currently 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.