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    Clap Studio creates sunset experience inside Valencia's Baovan restaurant

    A half-moon-shaped screen is programmed to mimic the changing colours of a sunset in this bao restaurant in Valencia, Spain, designed by local interiors firm Clap Studio.

    The eatery is set in a modernist building in Valencia’s Ruzafa neighbourhood and marks the first permanent outpost of Baovan – a local food truck delivering steamed Chinese bao buns, which started up during the coronavirus pandemic.
    Green ropes hang from the ceiling of Baovan’s porchBaovan asked Clap Studio to create an interior for the restaurant that channels the company’s motto of beers, beach and baos.
    “Our goal was to transport the user to a beach, from where to watch the sunset and enjoy some handmade baos,” Clap Studio director Angela Montagud told Dezeen. “So we created a whole experience around it.”
    “The shape of the space was a challenge, as we were faced with a narrow, elongated floor plan with no natural light,” she added.

    Curved fabric panels on the restaurant’s ceiling resemble cloudsIn a bid to turn the restaurant’s lack of daylight into a positive feature, Clap Studio designed an immersive interior that makes visitors feel as if they have stumbled across a secret beach.
    “In this way, it would invite the user to enter and discover the interior,” Montagud said.
    A half-moon-shaped lighting panel mimics the colours of the sunsetDiners enter the restaurant through a porch, where deep green ropes hang from the ceiling like vines in a forest.
    Inside, the interior was designed to evoke a beach with one side finished in a sandy peach colour and the other in deep ocean blue. Wavy textile panels form rolling clouds overhead that filter the light.

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    The centrepiece of the room is a half-moon-shaped lighting panel that was programmed by local creative studio Vitamin to recreate the changing colours of a sunset over the time it takes for the restaurant to complete its dinner service.
    “The interior shows a constant duality of colours that takes us in and out of the water,” Montagud explained.
    “On the ceiling, we recreate a blanket of clouds that brings a magical atmosphere to the interior, reflecting the lights of the sunset that is in constant movement.”
    The private dining area can seat up to ten peopleA private dining area at the rear of the floor plan can seat up to ten people and was designed to create the impression of eating by moonlight.
    Circular and crescent motifs that reference the shape of bao buns are repeated throughout the space from the lighting installation to the chairs, which were designed exclusively for the restaurant by Clap Studio.
    Other projects by the Valencian practice include a playful children’s shoe shop and a fashion store-cum-cafe in Hong Kong with stacked terracotta display plinths and celestial aluminium partitions.
    The photography is by Daniel Rueda.

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    Nate Berkus designs panoramic sunset bar for luxury cruise ship

    Celebrity Cruises has tapped several well-known designers for the interiors on board its newest vessel, which include a sunset lounge by Nate Berkus and bedroom suites by Kelly Hoppen.

    The Celebrity Beyond, which completed its maiden voyage around Western Europe this spring, is the third in the Miami-based company’s Edge series of cruise ships.
    Spaces unique to this 1,073-foot (327-metre) vessel include a larger, updated version of the outdoor Sunset Bar, which enjoys almost 360-degree views from an upper deck at the back of the ship.
    Spaces unique to the Celebrity Beyond ship include the Sunset Bar designed by Nate BerkusHere, American interior designer Nate Berkus aimed to create a laid-back atmosphere for guests wishing to enjoy cocktails after spending the day at the pool.
    “I’m always inspired by my own travels and in this case, it’s the international beach clubs I’ve been to in places like Mexico, or Europe,” he told Dezeen. “They always feel so effortlessly chic, and casual. The opposite of fussy.”

    The main entrance to the bar is through a plant-covered pergola that frames the gently sloping walkway leading down to the deck.

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    This curves around a series of seating niches and planters before reaching the covered area where drinks are served.
    An arched colonnade and patterned floor tiles give the bar a Mediterranean feel, which is continued to the outdoor seating through custom Kravet fabrics based on Ancient Greek motifs.
    “We also incorporated timeless materials like terracotta, bronze, brass and wood,” Berkus said.
    Kelly Hoppen is behind many of the ship’s interiors, including the suites and stateroomsThe Celebrity Beyond joins the Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Apex in this class of vessel, which first launched in 2019, and is the largest of the three – accommodating up to 3,260 guests.
    The trio share many of the same design elements, including the 1,646 bedroom suites and staterooms by British designer Kelly Hoppen that feature neutral decor with red and orange accents.
    Hoppen also designed the ship’s rooftop garden, its spa and The Retreat – an exclusive section for suite guests that includes private spaces like a lounge, a sundeck and a restaurant called Luminae.
    Other spaces by Hoppen include The Retreat, an exclusive area that includes a private pool deck”The Retreat deck and resort deck have been designed in a way to allow for a multifunctional space, by creating private pods and moments alongside the busier areas, allowing all to enjoy,” Hoppen told Dezeen.
    Another of the ship’s features is the Magic Carpet: a deck cantilevered from the side of the ship that travels up and down at different times of the day.
    A bright orange structure supports a bar and lounge, where guests can take in uninterrupted ocean vistas.
    Like other ships in the Celebrity Edge series, the Beyond features a moving cantilevered deck known as the Magic CarpetAmong the other spaces to eat and drink on board are Eden, which has a garden-themed design by Patricia Urquiola, and the World Class Bar with its dark beige and brass decor.
    Le Voyage restaurant offers a menu created by chef Daniel Boulud, while the Grand Plaza at the heart of the ship serves martinis beneath a giant light sculpture programmed to sync with the music.
    British architect Tom Wright, best-known for designing the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, was the principal architect for the ship.
    The World Class Bar is among the places to enjoy cocktails on boardCelebrity Cruises frequently taps well-known designers like Berkus and Hoppen in a bid to attract younger generations to luxury cruising.
    “We really wanted to embrace the challenge of getting the younger demographic onto these glorious ships along while not isolating the older generation and current clientele,” said Hoppen.
    “With that in mind, we have made sure that we have given a fresh feel to the accommodation while keeping the key elements the same but with a modern twist.”
    Signature restaurants include Le Voyage, with a menu by chef Daniel BouludIn a similar move to entice Millennial and Gen Z cruisers with A-list designers, Virgin Voyages’s first ship features suites by Tom Dixon, while its crew wears uniforms by Gareth Pugh.
    The Celebrity Cruises fleet also includes the Celebrity Flora, which sails the Galápagos Islands and was designed by BG Studio and has a reptilian theme.
    The cruise industry was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, but has bounced back following strict vaccination and testing policies.

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    Omar Gandhi designs a “light-filled wood cathedral” for Toronto restaurant

    Canadian studio Omar Gandhi Architect has created a vaulted-wood interior inside a non-descript brick building for chef Matty Matheson’s restaurant in Toronto.

    Prime Seafood Palace is located in West Queen West and was a collaborative effort between Omar Gandhi Architect (OGA) and the restaurant’s chef, Matheson, who has developed an internet following.
    OGA designed a restaurant in the West Queen West neighbourhood of TorontoThe space was imagined as “a light-filled wood cathedral, lining an otherwise inconspicuous existing brick-clad building that blends into the city’s urban fabric,” the studio said.
    “I think that all of us brought different ideas to the table, but for our design team we wanted the space to be a surprise inside of a fairly unassuming new urban building on a very busy street,” Omar Gandhi, principal of OGA, told Dezeen.
    The restaurant has vaulted wooden ceilingsThe primary entrance to the restaurant is separated from the street by a courtyard next to the adjacent building. The facade of the building – an earlier brick building, similar to many others in that area of Toronto – was painted white.

    OGA placed a vaulted wood structure within the brick envelope so that the main dining room of the restaurant nests within. In order to achieve this, the architects suspended the wooden vault from the ceiling.
    Natural leather was used for the upholsteryThe principal goal was to create a “timeless space, free of trends, with local, natural materials that develop a patina and continue to enrich the restaurant over time,” said OGA.
    “Designing with wood and light was the starting point for the design,” the studio added.
    Brass detailing was used throughout the main dining roomThe vaulted room hosts the main dining room, where the white maple louvres that make up the ceiling extend over the windows.
    Here, OGA upholstered the booths that line the space with natural leather, based on ones used in Matheson’s grandfather’s restaurant on Prince Edward Island, the Blue Goose.
    Above the space, a “wood-clad cloud” runs the length of the peak of the vault and filters natural light from a skylight in the roof of the exterior envelope.
    The bar is covered by a wooden canopyNear the servers’ station is an accessible restroom with concrete walls, which has a double-height volume that allows the space to be lit by a skylight above.
    In this restroom, a custom concrete sink by Brandon Gore was cast in the shape of Canada’s Lake Erie, with a brass marker indicating the location of Matheson’s Ontario farm.
    The wood extends into the open kitchenMore louvres form the railing that separates the different sections of the main dining room, which feature brass detailing and lamps.
    A full bar covered by a cantilevered wood canopy stretches the length of the space, while a passage next to the bar leads into a private dining room.

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    At the end of the bar is the elevated slope that leads to an open concept kitchen.
    The restaurant also has a secondary dining space in the backroom, which has slightly different detailing – such as a wood-burning stove and wooden walls – that makes it “reminiscent of Ontario’s cabin country,” according to the designers.
    The backroom opens up onto the courtyardThis dining area also has glass doors on one side that lead out into the courtyard.
    Throughout the restaurant, OGA worked with Coolican & Company to conceive custom furniture both for the kitchen and the dining space. A standout feature was the inclusion of drawers in the booths that hold the restaurant’s custom knife sets.
    The custom tables have drawers for steak knivesOmar Gandhi Architects is based in Novia Scotia. Other projects include a home near Lake Ontario with a winding wood staircase as well as a cedar-clad home in Halifax.
    The photography is by Adrian Ozimek and Doublespace. 
    Project credits:
    Design team: Omar Gandhi, Stephanie Hosein, Jeff Walker, John Gray Thompson, Chad Jamieson, LaurenMcCrimmon, Kris MacDonald, Liam ThornewellRestaurant team: Matty Matheson, Gary Quinto, Coulson Armstrong, and Our House Hospitality CompanyPhysical model: Mary MaStructural: Diomis EngineeringMechanical & electrical: Spline GroupCode: LMDG Building Code Consultants Ltd.Lighting controls & dimming: OneLXCustom furniture: Coolican & CompanyMillworker (primary): Canara Woodworking Inc.Additional millwork: CNC Cung Inc.Custom concrete sinks: Brandon Gore (Hard Goods)Custom booth pendants: Concord Custom LightingCustom signage: Filo TimoArt: Darby MilbraithSpecialty paint finish: Handsome PaintersUniforms: Rosa RugosaContractor: Mazenga Building Group (primary), Bootstrap Design/BuildManufacturers/Suppliers: Moncer (engineered hardwood flooring), Baro Klaus (selected furniture & specialty lighting), Stone Tile (tile), KOL (fiber cement cladding), Vaughan Electrical Supply (lighting), Nella (equipment), Stovemaster (brick hearth), MBH (Steel/glass doors), Sørensen Leather

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    Mim Design conceives Melbourne's Au79 cafe as “greenhouse sanctuary”

    Australian studio Mim Design has demarcated the Au79 cafe and bar in Melbourne’s Chadstone shopping centre from the surrounding stores using an arched framework instead of solid walls.

    Set in a corridor between shopfronts, Au79 was designed as a “greenhouse sanctuary” that could offer shoppers a slice of serenity and respite within the bustling retail complex.
    Melbourne’s Au79 cafe is set in a corridor between shopfrontsMim Design, which was also responsible for creating Au79’s first outpost in the nearby city of Abbotsford, wanted the space to fit into its surroundings while also bearing resemblance to the company’s original cafe.
    The Chadstone mall has a vaulted glass ceiling, which the studio decided to mirror by encasing the cafe in an arched framework topped with a gridded metal canopy and cascading plants.
    One side of the pill-shaped plan is taken over by a cafeThis frame surrounds a pill-shaped plan, which is divided into two distinct zones by a central servery.

    On one side is a neutral-toned cafe and on the other a bar organised around a curved counter made of figured stone and flanked by brass-edged display cabinets.
    The other side houses a bar”The cafe addresses the main retail thoroughfare while the bar offers a more intimate and exclusive experience facing the luxury retailers,” said Kieren Guerrero, Mim Design’s lead designer on the project.
    “The resulting open floor plate sensitively maintains visibility across the cafe to the shopfronts beyond while the arched outlines produce a theatrical colonnade effect and subtle sense of privacy.”
    Huge spherical pendants hang along the centreThe sense of formality and grandeur created by the framework is enhanced by the overall symmetry of the space.
    A row of huge custom-made spherical pendant lights is hung along the length of the plan, fitting neatly into the central arches.

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    “At night, we wanted to create the atmosphere of sitting under the glow of the moon,” said Guerrero. “The gentle illumination allows the space to transition and hold presence from day to night, bringing a new dimension to Au79’s organic forms and natural materials.”
    Mim Design employed a tonal palette of brick, terrazzo, natural leather and stone within the interior. Brass details, lush scalloped profiles and tactile finishes echo Au79’s Abbotsford cafe.
    Banquette seating runs along the perimeter of the cafeFixed banquette seating runs along the perimeter of the cafe to maintain a sense of spaciousness while seating as many people as possible.
    Loose furniture settings enable flexibility and moveable joinery on the cafe’s frontage allows the space to transform in order to accommodate different events.
    Tiles and terrazzo are contrasted against flesh-coloured leather”The project crafts a textural, gilded oasis in the Chadstone shopping complex,” said Miriam Fanning, founder and principal of Mim Design.
    “We sought to create a destination that redefined the expectation of what a kiosk is, a place considered to be built form that held ideas of permanence and presence.”
    Other projects by the Melbourne studio include a delicatessen with a counter that looks like sliced salami and an office filled with perforated metal screens.
    The photography is by Timothy Kaye.

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    Greek restaurant interior by Masquespacio takes cues from ancient ruins

    3D-printed “broken” columns join walls and floors created with an adobe effect at the Egeo restaurant in Valencia by interiors studio Masquespacio that aims to put a modern spin on traditional Greek architecture.

    Masquespacio created the interiors for the Egeo Greek restaurant, which is spread across one floor and characterised by a blue and off-white colour palette that is reminiscent of many Greek houses.
    A blue and white colour palette defines the spaceEgeo features a cavernous interior with microcement-coated seating areas and walls carved from curvy shapes punctuated by statement blue columns.
    The Mortex used for these walls and floors intends to give the space an adobe effect.
    It features 3D-printed columnsFractured into two pieces, the restaurant’s columns were created using 3D printing and are fitted with tubular lighting that connects each piece together.

    “We wanted to recreate the concept of a broken column from the past, but uplift it with a contemporary look,” Masquespacio co-founder Christophe Penasse told Dezeen.
    Wooden stools provide seating areasWooden stools resembling chunky chess pieces are scattered around built-in metal and wooden tables in the various seating areas arranged across the restaurant.
    Sconce lights were attached to decorative organic shapes that protrude from the walls while olive trees sit in large, neutrally-hued pots.

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    A central ordering bar was designed to recreate the atmosphere of a bustling market where you might order traditional souvlaki from a mobile vendor, according to Masquespacio.
    “The restaurant was inspired by Greece’s ancient architecture – from its typical white and blue houses to the ruins that are part of its important foundations in our world,” explained Penasse.
    A central bar intends to give the restaurant a lively feelThe eatery is the first Egeo branch in Valencia, although the chain already has two similar locations in Madrid.
    Based in Valencia, Masquespacio was founded in 2010 by Penasse and Ana Milena Hernández Palacio.
    Similar projects in Spain by the studio include another cavernous restaurant that nods to adobe architecture and an eatery with curved forms that take cues from the nearby Pyrenees mountains.
    The photography is by Sebastian Erras.

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    Sculptural partitions shape blue-tinged interior of Taste of Dadong restaurant in Shanghai

    Huge curving walls divide the blue-lit dining spaces inside this restaurant in Shanghai, designed by Chinese studio AD Architecture.

    Conceived by AD Architecture to deliver an “emotional”, dream-like dining experience, Taste of Dadong is steeped in an inky-blue light that seeps from LED panels in the walls and hidden strip lighting in the ceiling.
    Curving partitions separate seating areas inside the Taste of Dadong restaurantCarving up the restaurant’s floor plan are several tall curving partitions, amongst which intimate seating areas have been created for small groups of guests. Each one features a circular dining table and leather armchairs, all cast in a blueish hue.
    Alternatively, diners have the option of sitting at one of the booths that have been dotted around the restaurant’s periphery.
    Behind the bar is a luminescent fuchsia-pink drinks shelfSections of the ceiling have been clad with mirrored panels that show warped, upside-down reflections of diners and staff wandering the room, adding to the dreamy quality of the space.

    Meals are also accompanied by what the studio describes as a “psychedelic” soundtrack of songs.
    A pink faux skylight shines down on one of the dining tablesA contrasting pop of colour washes over the restaurant’s bar, where the AD Architecture has installed a drinks shelf that emits a fuschia-pink glow.
    Pink lighting has also been fitted behind an amorphous faux skylight that sits directly above one of the eating areas, as well as in small square openings that have been punctuated above the seating booths.
    Seating booths have been placed at the edges of the restaurantAD Architecture is led by Xie Peihe and has offices in Shenzhen and Shantou. The studio’s Taste of Dadong project is one of many visually-striking restaurants and bars that can be found across the city of Shanghai.
    Others include J Boroski, where the walls are decorated with thousands of preserved insects, and Bar Lotus, which features dramatic arched doorways and a rippled gold ceiling.
    The photography is by yuuuunstudio.
    Project credits:
    Design firm: AD ArchitectureChief designer: Xie PeiheClient team: Da Dong, Yuan Yufang, Tang Mingji, Si Xi, Shi Xiusong, Taste of Dadong Shanghai BranchConstruction team: Beijing Huakai Construction Decoration Engineering CoMechanical/electrical team: Beijing Zhitong Siyuan Mechanical & Electrical Design ConsultingLighting consulting: Beijing Guangshe Lighting DesignFixtures team: Beijing Hezhong Youye Hotel SuppliesKitchen team: Beijing HEC Hotel Supplies

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    Pitsou Kedem covers Hiba restaurant in Tel Aviv with geometric timber latticework

    Gridded oakwood panels sit alongside rough slabs of granite inside Hiba, a restaurant in Tel Aviv designed by local architecture practice Pitsou Kedem.

    Located in the city’s midtown area, Hiba serves a menu of Arab-Israeli fusion food.
    The restaurant’s use of fresh local ingredients influenced Pitsou Kedem to curate an equally raw, natural material palette for its interior.
    A gridded oak partition runs along Hiba’s entrance corridorGuests are guided into the venue via a narrow corridor with a gridded oak divider on one side.
    Some of the partition’s rectangular slots are blocked off while others are left open, allowing visitors to get brief glimpses of the hubbub happening in the restaurant proper.

    Hiba’s facade and ceiling feature the same latticework, loosely informed by the mashrabiya window screens that are traditional to Islamic architecture.
    The restaurant can seat up to 40 guestsThe corridor opens up into an intimate dining room, which accommodates just 40 guests.
    Dotted throughout are a series of circular oak tables, each accompanied by curved-back oak chairs with woven seats.
    The dining room features oak tables and chairs alongside granite countersSome of the tables back onto a powdered concrete bench that runs along one side of the room.
    Concrete was also applied to the restaurant’s floor, where it was polished to reveal the aggregate within.

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    At the back of the room, the practice created what it describes as an “inverted bar”, where liquor bottles are displayed inside a backlit niche in the wall rather than a typical bar counter that projects out into the room.
    Drinks can be prepared here or on the chunky slab of granite that forms a counter at the centre of the room.
    Diners can also sit on a curved concrete benchAnother craggy block of granite forms the base of an oak-topped dining counter that extends directly into Hiba’s kitchen in the corner of the restaurant.
    The kitchen was intentionally left open so that diners can watch the chefs at work and get an insight into the culinary process.
    A niche in the restaurant’s rear wall doubles up as a drinks barPitsou Kedem was founded by Israeli architect Pitsou Kedem in 2000.
    Hiba joins a number of trendy eateries across Tel Aviv including the minimalist vegan restaurant Opa and Bana – a cafe where fresh fruit and produce are arranged into colourful eye-catching displays.

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    Home Studios' Laurel Brasserie and Bar brings European dining to Salt Lake City

    This bar and restaurant in Salt Lake City is designed by Brooklyn-based Home Studios as an updated, American take on the brasseries of Europe.

    The Laurel Brasserie and Bar opened in February 2022 inside The Grand America Hotel, a palatial building on South Main Street in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City.
    Laurel Brasserie and Bar is designed as an American take on European brasseriesThe hotel was built in 2001 with interiors based on classic European styles. Home Studios retained these influences for the brasserie, but with a contemporary spin to create bright and colourful spaces for casual family-style dining.
    “The menu is fueled by the client’s love for European food, culture and design, filtered through a decidedly American sensibility,” said Home Studios founder Oliver Haslegrave.
    The main dining room features cherry-red leather banquettes”So we sought out to create that environment and treat it like an extension of the client’s home, where a collection of European heirlooms and treasures have been passed down from generation to generation,” he added.

    The establishment is split into several rooms, each of which has a distinct design and colour scheme.
    An adjoining patisserie, Bonne Vie, serves to-go treats from a pastel-toned spaceFor grab-and-go coffee and pastries, Bonne Vie features duck-egg-blue millwork, a checkerboard marble floor, and crushed velvet chairs in pastel tones.
    Opal globe lights mounted on brass fixtures continue from the patisserie into the main dining room, where cherry-red leather covers banquette seating that forms a strip down the centre.
    The bar faces both the restaurant and a separate area for cocktailsA symmetrical procession of columns with chamfered corners are wrapped in reclaimed tile and connect with sculptural ceiling beams.
    The wood-panelled bar faces both the restaurant and an adjacent seating area for enjoying cocktails, surrounded by tall arched windows framed with green marble.
    Marble frames the large windows of The Grand America Hotel, in which Laurel is located”Laurel is grounded in the present but full of history — and thoroughly unique,” Haslegrave said.
    “We incorporated a wealth of materials to elicit an upscale brasserie with approachable warmth.”

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    An additional dining space is decorated in a spectrum of blue hues. A bold floral-patterned carpet and illustrated wall coverings are joined by velvet chairs and walnut-topped tables.
    This room also features a green blown-glass chandelier and olive trees placed between the windows.
    Reclaimed tiles, wood panelling, and opal and brass lighting all add to the contemporary flairAntiques and vintage pieces are also scattered through the interiors, overall creating a “transportive guest experience that feels right at home within the context of the Grand America Hotel”.
    “We sought to create a distinctly modern and American spin on the classic all-day brasserie, built to delight and inspire locals and tourists alike,” said Haslegrave, who set up Home Studios in 2009.
    Another dining space is decorated in blue, including illustrated wall coverings and a floral-patterned carpetThe firm has a growing portfolio of hospitality projects across the US, with recent additions including the Alsace LA hotel with Mediterranean influences and The Harvey House restaurant in a Wisconsin train station.
    The photography is by Brian W Ferry.

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