MASS Design Group has released a guideline for restaurants in response to the coronavirus pandemic, to help these business reopen safely, viably, and vibrantly. Based on world health recommendations, the drafted protocols aim to keep both staff and customers safe, as well as facilitate operations.
Restaurants: The Latest Architecture and News
MASS Releases Spatial Strategies for Restaurants in Response to COVID-19
Vilnius, the Capital of Lithuania, Opens its Public Spaces for Cafes, to Help with Physical Distancing
The Lithuanian capital Vilnius has decided to allocate its public spaces to bars and cafes, to encourage the reopening of restaurants under required physical distancing measures. Turning the outdoor space into one vast open-air café, the city is taking new safety measures to step into the next phase of the lockdown.
World Winners of 2019 Prix Versailles Awards Announced
The world winners of the Prix Versailles 2019 were announced at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, celebrating 12 projects in the categories of Shops & Stores, Shopping Malls, Hotels and Restaurants.
The world jury was composed of David Adjaye, Kazuyo Sejima, Francesco Bandarin, Iris Van Herpen, Philippe Starck, Alondra de la Parra, Ferran Adiá and Thomas Vonier. Read on to see the selected projects.
Snøhetta Completes Europe’s First Underwater Restaurant
Snøhetta has announced the completion of Europe’s first underwater restaurant. Situated in Lindesness, on the southernmost point of the Norwegian coastline, the “Under” scheme serves as both a restaurant and a research center for marine life. Open to the public on March 20th, the half-sunken scheme forms a 34-meter-long monolithic break in the surface of the water, before resting on the seabed five meters below.
Situated at a point where sea storms from the north and south meet, and where marine species flourish in both briny and brackish waters, the Snøhetta scheme places itself at a unique confluence. Designed to fully integrate its marine environment over time, the scheme’s rough concrete shell will gradually transform into an artificial reef.
Fast Food Slowed Down: What's Behind the All the Redesigns - and Is It Enough?
Some restaurants don’t need a review to get attention. You might know them for their longevity, their presence, or even just their advertisements. But most importantly, whether it’s their grand luminous logo, or the building’s prominent architecture and color palette, these franchises are more or less the same (the menu, the music, the interior design…), wherever you are, be it London, Lima, or Lahore.
Recently, however, a few of these places have begun to shift away from the “architectural stamp” that they use in all their branches, hiring design firms to rebrand their restaurants - and by extension, their image. This bespoke approach can result in outposts that are atypically site-specific, understated, and individual. For users, it may be a point of curiosity; a reason to revisit what you think you already know. For the brand, it's an attempt to cater to evolving tastes (culinary and otherwise) without having to alter the core product.
The 9 Bars That Every Architect Needs to Visit
When you think of your favorite spot to grab a beer, what architectural features come to mind? Is it the swanky furniture, themed artwork, or the heavily designed cocktail menu? Today, the aesthetics of bars are now as much a draw as the drinks themselves. From movie set inspired spaces to rooftops that offer spectacular city views, we’ve compiled a list of nine bars and beer gardens that every architect needs to cross off their list.
Sushi Bar Designs: 10 Restaurant Interiors Around the World
Sushi, one of Japan’s most popular and traditional dishes has now established itself as a worldwide favorite for people all around the globe and (indeed) for architects, especially. Many countries have established sushi culture into their menus and restaurants from Spain to Dubai have adapted Japanese architecture to create the perfect space for eating sushi. The key to these serene interiors rely on Japanese interior qualities such as soft illumination, wooden finishings and textures that create the right environment.
Since June 18th is World Sushi Day, we are celebrating with this selection of 10 sushi bars and restaurants from all around the world!
World Winners of 2018 Prix Versailles Awards Announced
This month the world winners of the Prix Versailles 2018 were announced at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. This annual recognition celebrates commercial architecture projects from around the world, promoting successful interactions between culture and economy.
The twelve winning projects—including stores, shopping malls, hotels, and restaurants—were selected from the 70 continental finalist teams from 32 different countries. These works of architecture also show projects that recognize architecture's relationship with heritage.
See all of the selected projects after the break.
22 Projects Named Continental Winners of Prix Versailles 2018
On Saturday in Santiago, Chile, the Prix Versailles Committee announced the continental winners of its annual awards celebrating built commercial architecture.
Ten winning projects in Central America, the South and the Caribbean and twelve in North America are awarded in four categories: stores, shopping malls, hotels and restaurants. In May, built projects in Africa and Asia will be awarded in Algiers and Beijing. The European winners will be announced in Paris.
Check a gallery of the continental winners projects, below.
Continental Winners Central America, the South and the Caribbean:
Architecture That is Good Enough to Eat at LA Restaurant Vespertine
“As soon as we were able to get into the space we wrote the entire menu in basically a day. It was being in the building itself that had this creative charge about it,” said chef Jordan Kahn.
At LA chef Jordan Kahn’s new fine dining adventure, it was the architecture which informed the menu.
Restaurant ENIGMA Offers a Glimpse Into the Future of Gastronomy
Neolith has unveiled their most ambitious project to date: the ENIGMA restaurant design in collaboration with RCR Arquitectes and P.Llimona. The conceptual restaurant space began with the vision of celebrated Catalan chef Albert Adrià, who wanted to create an "enigmatic” restaurant project reflecting his gastronomy and his career. Albert, together with his sibling Ferran Adrià have transformed the iconic El Bulli restaurant into a culinary research foundation and embarked on more projects since, including tapas bar Tickets and Bar 41 in Barcelona. ENIGMA, described as a “culinary amusement park” represents the new brainchild of the brothers’ dialogue exploring the intersection of food and design.
Lendager Group Unveils Plans for Permaculture Farming and Cabin Escape in Swedish Wilderness
Lendager Group have released drawings and renderings of Stedsans in the Woods, a farming development currently in progress in the deep Swedish wilderness. A collaboration with restaurant owners Mette Helbæk and Flemming Hansen, the project will feature a permaculture farm, restaurant, and lodging. A focus on sustainability and living off the landscape drives both the architecture and the Stedsans brand, who stress the idea of ‘giving more than we take.’ Located in Bohult, Sweden, the development offers visitors an escape from the city with opportunities for fresh dining and connecting with nature.
Prix Versailles Celebrates 12 Projects for Their Outstanding Commercial Architecture
The international Prix Versailles Committee has announced the recipients of its annual awards celebrating built commercial architecture. The awards were held at the UNESCO World Headquarters, with recipients hailing from 6 regions around the world. Chaired by the Mayor of Versailles François de Mazières, the international jury included architects Manuelle Gautrand, Toyo Ito, Wang Shu, and acclaimed chef Guy Laroche.
The 12 World Titles are awarded in 4 top categories: stores, shopping malls, hotels and restaurants. The winners were selected from a diverse range of 70 regional winners already present in the ceremony.
Check out the gallery of the 12 winners below:
Varaždin University Student’s Restaurant and Home Winning Proposal / SANGRAD Architects + AVP Arhitekti
The aim for the design of the Varaždin University Student’s Restaurant and Home was to connect the new building with the old student’s home with the restaurant treated as a separate pavilion. This first prize winning design by SANGRAD Architects + AVP Arhitekti creates a new square between both buildings, which is defined by the main entrance to the existing building and the new restaurant volume. Along with the student’s home on the west side, the restaurant has a visual connection with all three buildings through an access plaza, while the student’s home towards the east continues the structure of the existing house forming a block. More images and architects’ description after the break.