Exotic ambiance

The restaurant’s design draws deeply from the vivid colours, textures, and ambiance of Moroccan marketplaces and the Mediterranean region.

 

Design Philosophy

The space is anchored by a central U-shaped bar, serving as the heart of the restaurant, while an open-concept kitchen adds to the inviting and dynamic atmosphere. The client’s legacy was woven into the design through artifacts and furnishings from a previous restaurant, enhancing the narrative of continuity and personal history.

 

Material Palette & Decorations

Warm wood tones and blonde wood finishes are layered with brass accents to establish a tactile and visually engaging material palette. Custom lighting fixtures, including tassel lights and sculptural sconces, are thoughtfully placed to serve both functional and artistic purposes, enhancing the overall ambiance. The repetition of architectural elements, such as elegant arches, creates a sense of rhythm and timeless sophistication. Real plants are incorporated throughout the space, bringing freshness and vibrancy to the interior.

 

Custom Structures

The seating areas feature custom banquettes that combine varied upholstery, intricate screen accents, and detailed leg designs. Each piece was chosen with care to reflect the Mediterranean inspiration while prioritizing comfort and style. Lighting acts as a focal point, with carefully designed fixtures creating defined spaces and highlighting key architectural features. Every element of the design is intended to immerse diners in a Mediterranean-inspired retreat. From the detailed textures to the curated artifacts, the space offers a sensory-rich experience that harmonizes beauty with functionality. The project embodies Mediterranean charm and modern elegance, ensuring a memorable and timeless dining atmosphere.

 

Click here to view the project interview.

Adaptive Reuse of an Industrial Shell

The project transforms a 450m² former industrial space, including a patio, into an all-day bar and restaurant with a strong focus on sustainability.

 

Functional Layout

Visitors enter the interior through a heavy wooden door and a small vestibule, defined by a thick, dark curtain. Beyond the curtain lies the hall, featuring its signature elongated bar. This is followed by the open workshop and refrigeration room, offering a full view of the product preparation process.

 

Design Philosophy

The high-ceilinged space is divided into four sections, with a layout that promotes flow and seamlessly connects the interior to the exterior. Large metal openings frame views of the patio and garden, the two additional sections that enhance the design with a sense of natural harmony. The building’s architectural integrity was carefully preserved, with the existing shell thoughtfully incorporated into the design.

 

Materials & Decoration

The materials used highlight the space’s industrial character, with no unnecessary embellishments. The metal elements were left in their original form, while the masonry was finished with plaster. Existing features, such as a well and a marble fountain of old Athenian design, were seamlessly integrated into the new project, repurposed as a table and a support for the beer tap. Wooden furniture with metal bases was selected for the décor, complemented by custom wooden paneling at the back of the bar. The white freestanding façades were enhanced with houseplants, while linear and spot lighting were strategically chosen to subtly emphasize the space’s key features.

Laboratory in the Fields

The primary conceptual idea of the project is to create a space where every detail emphasizes the connection with nature as well as the careful food preparation process within the restaurant.

 

Spatial Organization

The space accommodates two types of seating: large tables for hosting up to 12 people and smaller ones for seating up to four. Centrally placed within the space is a large island-bar made of stainless steel, while its base is made of Turkish marble, adding stability to the overall structure. In the main part of the island, glass flasks filled with bright liquor are playfully arranged and illuminated by soft, hidden lighting, creating an atmospheric backdrop.

 

Materials & Furniture

The material palette draws inspiration from natural textures and food ingredients. All the walls are cladded with a custom made stone made of marble and eggshells. In parallel, linen fabric is utilized throughout the space, contrasting the stainless steel and stone textures, while a series of carefully curated furniture compliment the design. Elegant lines and geometric shapes blend with the rest of the interior elements, bringing notes of the 20th century design. More specifically, the tables are made of poplar veneer, stone, stainless steel and travertine to create an amalgamation of textures and evoke a natural aesthetic.

 

Vegetation

The final “ingredient” of the design is the interior vegetation. The selection proved to be a challenge, as most woodland and herbaceous plants cannot survive within an interior space. Eventually, species such as the Benjamin Ficus and oats in the form of dried wood are placed within large plant pots that surround the dining area, emphasizing the process of food preparation using local ingredients.

Theatrical character

The design of a bar-restaurant in Kolonaki offers an opportunity to craft a space that bridges the memories and history of the neighborhood with the forward-looking vision its residents hold for the future.

 

Design Philosophy

The space’s intensely theatrical character, with its high ceilings and bright atmosphere, combined with its dual function as a bar and restaurant, inspired a strategic design choice: the creation of an arcade that not only traverses but also divides the space. This elongated arcade seamlessly connects the front pedestrian area with the rear zones, including the acrylic section and the garden. Simultaneously, it acts as a longitudinal stage, mediating between the bar and dining areas. The restaurant’s elevated levels amplify the sense of theatricality, enhancing the interplay of glances between different sides. The elongated bar runs the full length of the arcade, forming a continuous link between the front sidewalk and the rear glazed garden.

 

Material Palette

The existing concrete shell has been deconstructed and layered with timber, creating a new structure within the original framework. The material palette is enriched with black sheet metal, featured prominently in the staircase and the bar, while the floors and the bar mirror are adorned with the characteristic Tinos marble. More specifically, marble slabs, meticulously cut from a single block, were arranged to achieve seamless continuity and an impression of grandeur.

 

Spatial Atmosphere

The ambiance of the space emerges from a thoughtful collage that blends two elements: the nostalgic charm of Kolonaki’s old shops and a vision of how such a space might evolve in the future. Classic materials like marble and wood, once hallmarks of the area’s shops, are seamlessly combined with modern materials and techniques, including crushed concrete, black sheet metal, and black mosaic. This fusion creates a relaxed and inviting atmosphere, evoking a sense of memory while simultaneously embracing forward-looking innovation.

Holistic feast

By blending Mediterranean flavors and modern Latin American cooking techniques, the restaurant’s philosophy follows a constant search for perfection, which, according to Aristotle, one can never reach.

 

Multiple Textures

The 98-seat restaurant is divided into three parts: the bar, the chef’s table, and the grand dining hall, each emanating its own unique energy. The design is clearly influenced by Mediterranean patterns, since it oscillates between white and black tones, shades of blue and characteristic warm, masonry terracotta accents. A “staged” background wall, inspired by the Mediterranean marble quarries, is made of multiple surfaces in various shades and textures of white and connects the different restaurant sections. Soft and rough finishes as well as glossy and matt textures reflect light in different ways, imbuing the wall with meaning and symbolism.

 

Custom Furniture

Elegant leather banquettes and round tables are placed within round vaults at the back wall, fostering for more intimate gatherings. Above the main dining room, glass lamps in the shape of water drops, made by glass designer Simon Klenell, provide warm lighting that mimics the warmth of the sun over the Aegean Sea.

Several furniture pieces are custom-made by the architects and are combined with famous design pieces that define the overall aesthetic. The reception furniture is crafted from olive wood, elegantly complemented by handmade ceramic tiles and pottery pieces designed by the artist Melina Xenakis. The bar is decorated with custom-designed light fixtures and a large-scale photograph of a Greek quarry by George Kordakis.

 

Material Composition

Various authentic high-quality materials were used including Greek and Italian marbles as well as clay and wood from different parts of the world, creating contrasts in texture across the space. The amalgamation of natural materials and striking forms culminates in a holistic celebration, endowing it with a distinct identity defined by the unique synthesis of seemingly disparate elements, worlds, and aesthetic motifs.