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    Home Studios uses local materials to renovate Northern California hotel

    Brooklyn-based Home Studios has turned a conference centre in Northern California back into a luxury hotel, as originally intended by the property’s founder: the inventor of the radio.

    The Lodge at Marconi sits on a 62-acre site next to Tomales Bay, within the picturesque Marconi State Historic Park – a 1.5-hour drive up Highway Route 1 from San Francisco.
    Home Studios created a variety of lounge areas across Lodge at Marconi to provide an informal atmosphereDesigned for Nashville-based company Oliver Hospitality, the hotel occupies a historic property that was first built by Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian physicist who invented the radio in 1896.
    “Home Studios found inspiration in the property’s storied history – particularly in the pioneering spirit of Guglielmo Marconi, who worked with a New York-based engineering company to build the property’s initial building, a luxury hotel, in 1914,” said the design team, led by Oliver Haslegrave.
    The reception counter is clad in oxblood-coloured tiles from Heath CeramicsIt took 17 months to overhaul the complex of blackened-wood buildings, which are topped with mono-pitched roofs of different heights and opposing directions.

    The architecture is similar to that of The Sea Ranch Lodge further up the coast, which reopened in 2022 after its own extensive renovation.
    The Redwood Dining Hall features brick flooring, blue-green tilework and eclectic contemporary furnitureHome Studios looked to the iconic site – famed for its modernist style and sensitive land planning – for cues when developing the Lodge at Marconi’s 45 guest rooms and suites, which occupy freestanding buildings across the wooded site.
    “Borrowing design language from Sea Ranch’s ‘living lightly on the land’ credo, the rooms blend into the environment and boast a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere,” the team said.
    Artworks in the restaurant, including a series of coloured wooden cubes, were created in collaboration with Lukas Geronimas GiniotisThe hotel complex is made up of eight indoor and outdoor spaces, laid out “like a summer camp” to accommodate different activities in each area.
    In the reception block, guests arrive to a series of lounges and other communal spaces that create a more informal setting than a traditional hotel lobby.
    The bedrooms are bright and airy, with materials and colours that subtly reflect the hotel’s natural surroundingsA check-in counter is fronted with oxblood-coloured tiles by Heath Ceramics, which was founded in nearby Sausalito.
    More of the company’s tiles, this time in blue-green hues, line the lower walls of the restaurant known as the Redwood Dining Hall.
    Three of the guest room bathrooms feature original tiles that date back to the 1960sRed bricks are laid in a basketweave pattern across the floor, contrasting with the bright blue bases of the custom dining tables, while warm cedar panels and beams cover the ceiling.
    A mural comprising four-panel linen screens and a series of wood cubes mounted on a wall was made in collaboration with California-based artist Lukas Geronimas Giniotis.

    Mithun revamps iconic 1960s Sea Ranch Lodge in northern California

    The guest rooms are bright and airy, with the colours of the natural surroundings subtly reflected in the furnishings.
    Some have cosy loft spaces, while larger suites feature a dedicated workspace and sitting area.
    The accommodations are split across several buildings clad in blackened wood and topped with monopitched roofs”Northern California’s rugged environment served as a design influence, and is reflected in the natural woods and earth-tone textiles that adorn each room and weave together a cohesive connection throughout the property,” Home Studios said.
    “Three guest room bathrooms feature original tile dated to the 1960s when the hotel served as a rehabilitation facility known as Synanon.”
    The property includes multiple outdoor areas for gatherings and eventsAcross the property, the indoor spaces are afforded scenic views of the forest and the water through large windows.
    A variety of gathering and event spaces are available to guests both inside and out, including wooden chairs positioned around fire pits among the landscape designed by Bay Area firm Dune Hai.
    Lodge at Marconi sits atop a hill overlooking Tomales Bay in Northern CaliforniaThis is Home Studios’ third hotel project, following the Mediterranean-influenced Alsace hotel in Los Angeles and the boutique Daunt’s Albatross motel in Montauk.
    The firm’s other recent projects include a revamped bar and restaurant on Nantucket, an Italian eatery close to Harvard University and a townhouse renovation in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.
    The photography is by Brian W Ferry.

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    Stingray-shaped roof crowns Maldives restaurant by Atelier Nomadic

    A bamboo canopy modelled on stingrays tops Overwater Restaurant, which architecture studio Atelier Nomadic has added to a lagoon in the Maldives.

    The Japanese restaurant is raised on an existing jetty that extends out from the shore and has a bamboo structure with tree-like columns to support its wavy roof.
    Drawing inspiration from the surrounding water, Atelier Nomadic designed its form to resemble the shape of pink whiprays, a species of stingray found in the lagoon.
    Atelier Nomadic has added a Japanese restaurant to a lagoon in the Maldives”Maldives is known for its spectacular underwater life,” studio creative director Olav Bruin told Dezeen.
    “We aimed to bring this sub-aquatic theme to the surface in an architectural form, without being too literal,” he continued.

    “For the main shape, we found inspiration in the pink whiprays that graze in the lagoon, as it was a convenient form to cover the open-air dining space.”
    The wavy roof is informed by a local species of stingrayAccessed beyond the long stretch of the boardwalk, the restaurant’s entrance is set under the lower and slimmer portion of the roof, which is intended to represent the tail of a stingray.
    A network of tree-like columns, which are formed from three angled lengths of bamboo, is arranged underneath the structure and extends from the entrance to the end of the jetty.
    A boardwalk provides access between the shore and the restaurant”This system allowed us to make an organic form from straight bamboo poles that provide stability to the structure in all directions,” Bruin explained.
    “By coincidence, we realised only after the structure was built that the interior space feels a bit like the mouth of a giant manta ray, with its rhythm of gills that filter plankton out of the seawater.”

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    The undulating bamboo structure of the roof sits on top of the columns, reaching its peak at a spine-like ridge. It is clad externally in timber shingles, which the studio hopes will resemble fish scales after ageing.
    “Timber shingles age gracefully and gain a grey-silverish patina over time,” said Bruin. “Together with the layered pattern, the roof will resemble the scales of a fish.”
    The structure is built from a network of bamboo columnsSet on either side of a walkway where the jetty widens are two bamboo-clad volumes, painted black, which hold the kitchen and bathrooms.
    The bar, coated in the same black bamboo, sits beyond the two blocks. It marks the transition into a large open-plan dining area filled with furnishings that match the colour of the bamboo structure.
    A lounge area sits at the end of the restaurantBeyond the covered dining space, the jetty steps down to a more casual, open seating area furnished with curved sofas and armchairs.
    At the end of the jetty is a swimming pool split across two levels, while white nets used as overwater seating areas wrap around the outer edges of the restaurant.
    The roof is clad in timber shingles intended to mimic scalesOther oceanside projects in the Maldives include a proposal for a garden-filled resort by Shigeru Ban and a complex made up of wooden villas that sit on an artificial island.
    In a recent interview with Dezeen, Atelier One engineer Chris Matthews said bamboo has the potential to be as dominant in construction as concrete and steel.
    The photography is by Joe Chua Agdeppa.
    Project credits:
    Architect: Atelier NomadicClient: Banyan TreeDesign team: Olav Bruin, with Louis Thompson, Habiba MukhtaContractor: Asali Bali

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    Ten rooms that make clever use of the “unexpected red theory”

    An interior design trend born out of a viral TikTok video, championing the addition of red “in places where it has no business”, is the focus of our latest lookbook.

    The “unexpected red theory” was coined by Brooklyn-based interior designer Taylor Migliazzo Simon in a video that has had over 900,000 views on TikTok.
    Simon describes it as “adding anything that’s red, big or small, to a room where it doesn’t match at all” with the result that “it automatically looks better”.
    The theory suggests that red is as versatile as a neutral colour because it can work in almost any palette of colours and materials, either as an accent or complementary tone.
    Here, we look at 10 home and hotel interiors that show how it’s done, either in the form of architectural fittings and finishes like a balustrade or floor surface or in the form of statement furniture.

    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with indoor slides, colourful renovations and innovative New York City lofts.
    Photo is by Douglas FriedmanHotel Saint Vincent, USA, by Lambert McGuire Design
    Red is paired with shades of grey and purple in the bedrooms of this hotel in New Orleans, designed by Lambert McGuire Design, which occupies a former 19th-century infant asylum.
    The colour can be found on a range of elements, across furniture and textiles, with key pieces including the red velvet bed upholstery. The overall effect heightens the sinister atmosphere conjured by the building’s history.
    Find out more about Hotel Saint Vincent ›
    Photo is by Jim StephensonWalled Garden, UK, by Nimtim Architects
    A warm palette of natural materials characterises the interior of this London house extension designed by Nimtim Architects, with the exception of a statement dining table.
    This table features four oversized columnar legs with a glossy red finish, providing a visual focal point for the room.
    Find out more about Walled Garden ›

    W Budapest, Hungary, by Bowler James Brindley and Bánáti + Hartvig
    The W Hotel in Budapest is housed inside a grand neo-Renaissance palace, so interiors studios Bowler James Brindley and Bánáti + Hartvig chose most of the details based on the existing architecture.
    This led them to combine cool shades of blue, turquoise and green with golden details. But they also added a series of curved red sofas and tables, which result in a more playful feel.
    Find out more about W Budapest ›

    House for Beth, USA, by Salmela Architect
    With a series of timber-framed windows, the view takes centre stage in the living room of this rural Wisconsin home designed by Salmela Architect.
    The room is otherwise very simple in its decor, but red-painted dining chairs prevent it from feeling too minimal.
    Find out more about House for Beth ›
    Photo is by Henry WoideThe Secret Garden Flat, UK, by Nic Howett Architect
    Red floors and walls both feature in this renovated London home designed by Nic Howett Architect.
    The colour provides a warm counterpoint to the dark blue flooring and curtains that also punctuate the exposed wood interior.
    Find out more about The Secret Garden Flat ›
    Photo is by Yannis DrakoulidisTrikoupi Apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme Architects
    Red and green should never be seen together, or so the saying goes. Point Supreme Architects challenged that rule with this apartment interior in Athens.
    Standing in front of a stained green plywood storage wall, a kitchen island topped with red Corian becomes the room’s standout feature.
    Find out more about Trikoupi Apartment ›

    Maryland House, UK, by Remi Connolly-Taylor
    London-based designer Remi Connolly-Taylor showed how red and gold can be paired in this design for her own London house and studio.
    A folded, perforated staircase in red powder-coated steel provides a counterpoint to the golden kitchen cabinets, making a statement in the otherwise minimal, white interior.
    Find out more about Maryland House ›

    Cowley Manor Experimental, UK, by Dorothée Meilichzon
    Designed by Dorothée Meilichzon of French interiors studio Chzon, this hotel in the Cotswolds shows one way of applying the unexpected red theory to a bathroom.
    Building on a subtle Alice in Wonderland theme, some of the pink-walled guest bathrooms feature glossy red lacquered bathtubs.
    Find out more about Cowley Manor Experimental ›

    Redwood House, USA, by Studio Terpeluk
    This bathroom, located in a Noe Valley home designed by Studio Terpeluk, shows how to apply the unexpected red theory with just one small piece of furniture.
    A mid-century-style stool adds a vibrant accent to the muted pink tone of the walls.
    Find out more about Redwood House ›

    Casa Pousos, Portugal, by Bak Gordon Arquitectos
    A courtyard divides the two concrete buildings that form this Lisbon home designed by Bak Gordon Arquitectos.
    The space might have felt stark if it were not for the addition of two bright red lounge chairs.
    Find out more about Casa Pousos ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with indoor slides, colourful renovations and innovative New York City lofts.

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    Folkform installs The Museum of Masonite at Stockholm Furniture Fair

    Swedish design duo Folkform has presented a series of furniture pieces made using Masonite hardboard sourced from a factory that closed down over a decade ago.

    On show at Stockholm Furniture Fair, The Museum of Masonite centres around a patented type of engineered wood board that is made by steam-cooking and pressure-moulding wood fibres.
    Folkform founders Anna Holmquist and Chandra Ahlsell first started experimenting with this material 15 years ago, in collaboration with Sweden’s last remaining Masonite producer in Rundvik.
    The Museum of Masonite features furniture made from a patented type of wood boardWhen the factory closed in 2011, the pair took all the remaining stock.
    “I felt a responsibility to tell the story of what happened to this material,” explained Holmquist, who has since completed a PHD exploring the cultural significance of Masonite.

    “It created the Swedish welfare state in the 1930s, 40s and 50s,” she told Dezeen.
    “It was made from leftover wood from the Swedish sawmills so it became bigger here than anywhere else. Everyone was using it, for everything from boats and caravans to houses.”
    Works on show include the Masonite Chair, a collaboration with Åke AxelssonThe Museum of Masonite follows the release of the Production Novellas, a book published by Folkform detailing the results of Holmquist’s PHD research.
    Folkform is showcasing this book alongside some of their favourite Masonite designs created over the years.

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    Works on display include the Masonite Chair, a 2021 collaboration with Åke Axelsson based on an experimental design the Swedish interior architect produced in 1978.
    Older pieces include a chest of drawers and a bedside cabinet, both created in 2012, which feature different material samples arranged in geometric collages.
    “We combined materials with different ages, with this idea that the furniture becomes an archive,” said Holmquist.
    The exhibition follows the release of the book Production NovellasThe most recent designs in the show explore a more minimalist approach, suggesting how the material can create the suggestion of solid blocks.
    “I feel like the compositions will be never-ending because we still have more of this board,” added Holmquist.
    The works are presented alongside photographs, illustrations and artefacts that tell the story of the factory.
    The exhibition includes photos from the factory. Image by Amy FrearsonLater in the year, the exhibition will move to the Laurel Museum of Art in Mississippi, the city where Masonite was patented in 1924 by William H Mason.
    Masonite is distinct from other engineered wood fibre boards, such as MDF, because it is made without glue. Holmquist believes the material could have a future in manufacturing.
    Masonite is made from pressure-moulded wood fibres. Image by Amy Frearson”It’s a beautiful material and it’s very sustainable,” she concluded.
    “We are already seeing a shift in food, where people increasingly care where the things they eat come from, so maybe it will also happen for furniture and objects.”
    At Stockholm Furniture Fair this year, visitors could also enjoy the Wekino With exhibition by South Korean furniture designers and British designer Faye Toogood’s collaboration with Finnish company Vaarnii.
    The photography is by Erik Lefvander unless otherwise stated.
    The Museum of Masonite is on show at Stockholm Furniture Fair, which is open to the public from 7 to 11 February 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for more Stockholm Dezeen Week exhibitions in our dedicated event guide.

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    The Rebello Hotel occupies former factory along Porto’s riverside

    This hotel by architecture studio Metro Urbe occupies a series of former industrial buildings on the banks of the River Douro in Porto, Portugal, and features interiors by Quiet Studios.

    The Rebello Hotel is spread across several 19th-century buildings, which have been overhauled and adapted with new additions by Metro Urbe, in Vila Nova de Gaia – across the river from the city proper.
    At The Rebello Hotel, nods to the site’s industrial past and Porto’s nautical history can be found in artworks and decor choicesOperated by Bomporto Hotels, which has two properties in Lisbon, the new addition to its portfolio was designed with a local approach and to take full advantage of its prime riverside location.
    The Rebello is named after Porto’s famous rabelos – wooden boats that used to transport barrels of port wine down the river – and located beside the city’s only remaining boatyard.
    The lobby bar and cafe was designed for digital nomads to work and relaxThe collection of buildings was once a kitchen utensil factory and had been unoccupied for some time before work began to reconfigure the site.

    The team restored two long buildings that face onto the river, preserving their historic stone facades, and constructed two new volumes in the centre of the site that incorporate smaller original structures and resolve the sloping topography.
    A variety of soft seating options enliven the industrial-style interiors of the hotel’s communal spacesPresented with a blank canvas, Spanish interior designer Daniela Franceschini – founder of Lisbon-based Quiet Studios – worked with local artists and creatives to transform the industrial spaces into warm and comfortable guest facilities.
    Using vintage and contemporary objects, she based the interiors around four key elements: water, wine, wood and industry.
    Bedrooms are bright and neutral, with splashes of colour introduced through contemporary furniture”There’s a nautical feel to the colours, materials and textures,” said Franceschini. “That also comes through in the lighting, which is suggestive of floating and sailboats, and in the lamps with chains, the wooden shelves by Tomaz Viana, the ceramic nets by Fig Studio and the undulating mirrors that evoke the movement of the sea.”
    Above the retro-style reception counter, fronted by a metal lattice, is an artwork crafted using reclaimed materials from the rabelos, which was designed by Studio Ther in collaboration with a local artisan.
    Guest room types vary from studios to three-bedroom penthouse apartmentsThe lobby lounge and bar was designed for digital nomads to work or relax on a variety of comfortable soft seats, within a bright space that features polished concrete floors and exposed ceiling ductwork.
    As a nod to the site’s history, the ground-floor Pot&Pan restaurant serves family-style dishes in large pots and pans within a space decorated with dark-toned walls and plants to create a casual atmosphere.

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    There’s also a cafe and store selling local produce and crafts, and meeting rooms that can be hired separately or combined for private events.
    The Rebello Hotel’s 103 guest rooms and apartments are split into 11 different types, ranging from studios to three-bedroom penthouses that span 37 to 195 square metres.
    The hotel’s spa is modelled on ancient Roman bathsThe interiors of its light-filled suites have been decorated with walnut, steel, concrete and tiles, along with contemporary furniture that introduces splashes of bright colour to the otherwise neutral palette.
    The bedrooms also include “tailor-made pieces influenced by nautical and industrial design, such as the sinks inspired by old water tanks and the organically styled bed headboards that resemble the rippling waters of the Douro”, according to the design team.
    The fourth-floor rooftop bar offers views across the Douro River to the Porto skylineThe Rebello Hotel guests can enjoy a spa, modelled on ancient Roman baths and encompassing a heated pool, sauna, fitness centre and treatment rooms.
    Finally, the Rooftop Bello bar on the fourth floor offers a spot for al fresco cocktails overlooking the river, with a view of the city’s terracotta-tiled skyline beyond.
    The riverside site, a former kitchen utensil factory, was converted and extended by architects Metro UrbeOther interior design projects in Porto include a rustic restaurant interior designed by Space Copenhagen, which features a ceramic mural by Álvaro Siza, and a sushi bar by Paulo Merlini where 8,000 wooden chopsticks hang above diners.
    The photography is by Francisco Nogueira.

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    Italian modernist architecture informs Bottega Veneta store in historic Milan galleria

    Fashion house Bottega Veneta has opened a boutique designed by its creative director Matthieu Blazy inside the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade in Milan.

    Bottega Veneta’s two-storey store is distinguished by three primary materials: glass, Italian walnut and green Verde Saint Denis marble.
    A spiral staircase greets shoppers at the Bottega Veneta store in MilanThis trifecta is applied in strict grids to evoke Italian modernism and provide an organising principle in the various rooms.
    “There are different experiences of space in the store,” said Blazy. “I wanted to express the idea of a domestic interior referring to Italian modernist architecture that contrasts with the aesthetic of a spaceship and to capture the intimacy and the imagination of getting dressed.”
    Grids are used throughout the store to organise materialsFrom the galleria, shoppers are greeted by a dramatic spiral staircase made entirely from Italian walnut – a material used throughout the interior as panelling, modular shelving and furniture.

    Green marble is laid in squares across the floors, separated by strips of walnut and occasionally swapped for larger patches of dark green wool carpet.
    Glass blocks are integrated into the walls and ceilingsSquare glass blocks are similarly arranged into grids across walls and ceilings, illuminated from behind to produce a soft warm glow throughout the store.
    Green leather chairs and benches are accompanied by custom rounded wood tables and stools to form lounge areas.
    “Throughout the space, soft textures are found in leather seating and wool carpets, while modular shelving units build a sense of discovery and play,” Bottega Veneta said.
    The fitting rooms feature leather niches that provide a place to sitFitting rooms are fully lined in walnut, except for leather-wrapped niches that provide a small seat, giant mirrors with built-in lighting and more green carpet.
    Sculptural polished metal elements form the door pulls and clothes hooks, their smooth surfaces contrasting with the more textured golden planters and entrance handles.

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    On the upper level, recesses formed by the Galleria’s arched windows provide nooks for seating and plants, as places to look out onto the highly decorative arcade.
    Designed in 1861 by architect Giuseppe Mengoni, the neo-classical Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is one of Milan’s most desirable shopping destinations.
    Polished metal sculptures form door pulls and clothing hooks in the fitting roomsThe four-storey, glass-vaulted double arcade is located in the city centre, close to other landmarks like the Duomo and the Teatro alla Scala.
    The new Bottega store is the latest to open under Blazy since he took the reigns of the luxury brand in 2021, following locations on London’s Sloane Street and the Avenue Montaigne in Paris.
    The new store is located in the historic Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcadeFor the brand’s Spring Summer 2023 runway show, Bottega Veneta collaborated with Italian designer Gaetano Pesce, who envisioned a colourful resin-covered floor and 400 bespoke cotton-and-resin chairs for the set.
    Pesce later went on to create a pair of handbags for the brand, which were designed to suggest different bucolic landscapes.
    The photography is courtesy of Bottega Veneta.

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    Karimoku Case lines minimalist Tokyo apartment with local wood

    Japanese brand Karimoku Case has redesigned an apartment on a hilltop in Tokyo, using wood and a neutral colour palette to create a “calm and serene atmosphere”.

    Named Azabu Hills Residence, the project was designed by Karimoku Case – a studio developed by Karimoku Furniture in collaboration with design studios Keiji Ashizawa and Norm Architects.
    The studio used the project as an opportunity to optimise the use of local zelkova wood which is increasingly underutilised.
    The apartment features furniture made from zelkova wood”We sympathized with the story of how zelkova used to be a common material in Japan, but is now being chipped and discarded, and wished to explore the possibilities of zelkova through this project,” lead designer Keiji Ashizawa told Dezeen.
    “When I first saw the sample of it, I felt that its gentle reddish hue, along with its story, was a good match for the project,” he continued.

    “We decided to create the interior using zelkova that would come in harmony with the gentle light from the north side.”
    A neutral material palette creates a “calm and serene atmosphere”The 226-metre-square apartment was centred around a spacious, open-plan living area and dining room illuminated by floor-to-ceiling windows.
    A small workspace nestled behind a wall in the living space makes use of the spacious interior, and is furnished with a desk, chair and shelving made from zelkova wood.
    White plaster walls and wooden floors define the living spacesThe minimalist interior is defined by textured white walls and wood used for flooring, window frames and fittings, which are tied together by cream furnishings, paper lighting fixtures and decorative artwork.
    In the living space, lattice wooden screens were used to separate programmes as well as provide cross ventilation through the space to create airy interiors.

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    “With the residence being located in the middle of a large city like Tokyo, it was important to have a home-like atmosphere that makes you feel at ease,” Ashizawa said.
    “We were conscious of the calmness and tranquility needed to achieve this, and designed the interior with well-curated furniture, lighting, and art to create an environment for this purpose.”
    Wooden, lattice screens allow ventilation through the homeA counter made from zelkova wood divides the living space and adjacent kitchen, while also serving as an additional seating and dining space.
    Within the kitchen, cabinets built from gridded wooden frames were finished with concrete countertops, complemented by tiled terrazzo flooring that also features in the home’s entryway.
    Furnishings, paper lighting fixtures and pieces of artwork tie the interior togetherGridded wooden frames are repeated for both storage in the living area and a wall in the main bedroom where the home transitions into a cosy-feel with carpet flooring.
    A circular chair and marbled table sit in front of the bedroom’s floor-to-ceiling windows, with a study desk nestled into the corner.
    Gridded wooden frames feature in the kitchen, living space and bedroomOther recently completed projects with minimalist interiors include a dental clinic in Montreal designed to feel like “someone’s home” and a London pub converted into a pared-back jewellery showroom.
    The photography is by Tomooki Kengaku. 
    Project credits:
    Architect: Keiji Ashizawa DesignProject architect: Keiji Ashizawa / Ryota MaruyamaClient: reBITA / NTT Urban Development Coperation TokyoConstruction: TamarixFurniture collaboration: Norm ArchitectsFurniture: Karimoku CaseLighting: Kojima Shoten / Saito ShomeiLighting plan: AURORA / Yoshiki IchikawaInterior styling: Yumi Nakata

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    Zooco Estudio resurrects “vestige of the past” for brutalist restaurant

    Madrid-based Zooco Estudio has created a striking restaurant within the Cantabrian Maritime Museum in Santander, Spain, that celebrates the building’s brutalist architecture.

    The restaurant is set within a dramatic vault of concrete paraboloids that were unearthed during the renovation, while a slatted timber ceiling pays homage to the area’s shipbuilding legacy.
    Zooco Estudio added a restaurant to the second floor of the Cantabrian Maritime MuseumOverlooking the tranquil waters of Santander Bay, the restaurant is located on the second floor of the landmark Cantabrian Maritime Museum, which was designed in the mid-1970s by architects Vicente Roig Forner and Ángel Hernández Morales.
    The paraboloids were an original fixture of the structure and supported the roof of what was once the museum’s patio.
    Oak details were designed to contrast the restaurant’s concrete archesThe studio focused on restoring the historic fabric of the space and reviving the paraboloids, which had been concealed for around 20 years, as “a vestige of the past”.

    “In 2003, the building was renovated and as part of this intervention, the paraboloids were covered with a new roof and the space between them and the perimeter of the building was closed with glass, generating a covered space where there was previously a terrace,” Zooco Estudio co-founder Javier Guzmán told Dezeen.
    “We wanted the concrete paraboloids to be the absolute protagonists of the space and by removing the paint and the coating, the paraboloids are visible again and regain their full prominence.”
    The renovation exposed the raw concrete surface of the paraboloidsThe previous renovation also altered the dimensions of the space and reconfigured the volume as a square.
    To promote symmetry, four additional concrete triangles were added to balance out the original paraboloids in the brutalist restaurant.
    Slatted wooden ceiling panels bridge the gaps between the archesOverhead, a false ceiling of slatted timber panels frames the concrete arches.
    The studio designed theses triangular boards to reference the arrangement of timber across the hull of a boat, a nod to the museum and the area’s nautical past.

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    The panels also serve the purpose of concealing the restaurant’s mechanical systems.
    “The wooden slats bring warmth and friendliness to the space while allowing us to solve all the technical needs for air conditioning, heating and lighting, leaving them hidden,” Guzmán said.
    “In this way, we ensure that all these elements do not interfere with the dialogue of concrete and wood, which are presented as continuous and clean elements.”
    Walls of floor-to-ceiling glazing offer views across the bayThe interior layout was largely dictated by the low arches of the elliptic paraboloids that dominate the brutalist restaurant.
    “The geometry of the existing structure conditions the space, because its height in its lower part is impractical, so a large bench is arranged around the entire contour that allows us to take advantage of that space and organise the distribution of the rest of the floor plan,” added Guzmán.
    Grey porcelain floors mirror the concrete paraboloidsLike the ceiling panels, the interior finishes and furnishings allude to the maritime history that the building commemorates.
    “The use of wood and steel for all the furniture is reminiscent of the materials used in shipbuilding – the furniture has slight curvatures that are reminiscent of the aerodynamic shapes of boats,” explained Guzmán.
    “Likewise, the lamps are inspired by the masts for ship sails.”
    Zooco Estudio also designed the restaurant’s curved timber furnitureAnother key change was the replacement of the perimeter glass wall.
    The inclined glazing was swapped for vertical glass, a decision that reclaimed external space for the patio, which stretches the length of the restaurant and overlooks the harbour below.
    “When we are inside, the feeling is the same as when we are inside a boat, there is only water around, and that is why we used clean glass from floor to ceiling, generating a perimeter terrace as happens on boats,” said Guzmán.
    The terrace features green curvilinear outdoor furnitureOther projects by Zooco Estudio include a renovated house in Madrid and a co-working space with a kids’ play area in California.
    The photography is by David Zarzoso.
    Project credits:
    Architect: Zooco EstudioConstruction: Rotedama Constructora SLLighting: Zooco EstudioFurniture: Zooco Estudio

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