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Architects: Borja Garcia Studio
- Year: 2014
Text description provided by the architects. The project is located in a building from 1850, in the heart of the city of Valencia. Located between the busy Plaza del Negrito and the Cathedral, the main objective of the intervention was to respect fully the atmosphere of the building, its materiality and distribution. This is the third project of this studio for the Copenhagen group.
Architecture
The space is divided into two levels articulated by a large staircase made of solid brick, showing the original construction of the building. Access is marked by a thick wooden door that connects the restaurant with the outside, stressing the openness of the ground floor. This area is designed with a more casual character, for snacks and light dinner. This idea is accentuated by the presence of a slender stainless steel shelf lacquered in matte black, that interweaves with the strong presence of the nineteenth century brick.
Beyond the bar is a space dominated by the illustration "Drikker og venner" by Valencian Lawerta that plays with an image of the northern city, which through its craftsmanship of strokes fills the space with color and warmth. A high table transports us to the traditional cantinas, while facing it is a bar and different high tables that complete the room seeking dynamism for this bar area.
The second level is divided into three rooms. The first one is characterized by the three openings that overlook the pedestrian street and flood the main space with light. This light is stretched to the back of the room through permeable partitions permitting its free passage through all the rooms. A large round table and a succession of rectangular tables allow us to respond to a wide variety of usage scenarios, even in the second and third rooms where we have sought a more intimate character, sheltered between openings and shelves.
Furniture and lighting
Seeking the utmost respect to the building on which the project is located, we have resorted to furniture that does not interfere with the surrounding atmosphere of the building. Pieces like the Mava chair or Punt table in natural oak with various pieces specially designed for the project give the space quality and warmth, projecting a simple and sincere image.
The lighting is varied and focused, playing with different luminaries according to different needs and adjusting their heights to each situation. At the access, a rain of folded paper luminaries winks at its older brother, the Copenhagen restaurant, designed by the same team in 2011. A more personal atmosphere on the ground floor and another more familiar on the first floor give each space a differentiated character.
