Restaurant Archives

Text description provided by the architects.

Designers: URBA and Boldizar SenteskiProject team: Márton Lengyel, Andrea Juhász, Boldizar Senteski, Liza Natasa RakuszClient: OnyxArea: 80 sqmYear: 2021Location: Budapest, HungaryPhotography: Matti VargaText: Lidia VajdaABOUTURBA is proud to present their most recent project, the complete transformation of Hungary’s only 2 Michelin star restaurant called Onyx. HISTORYSince its opening in 2007, Onyx Restaurant has been committed to quality and progress.

Located in Gerbeaud House in the heart of Budapest, the restaurant has always stood for the reinterpretation of Hungarian cuisine with an attention to local ingredients and an innovative approach. Still, several internal changes and the shift caused by the current pandemic has made it clear that Onyx needs a severe transformation inside out.

URBA was lucky enough to be part of the beginning, including all strategic discussions, when they defined what it means to offer a fine-dining experience after COVID and how the restaurant ought to operate in the future. These aspects influenced how the restaurant should be a memory making place, something influential in someone’s life.

TRANSFORMATION, CONCEPTThe transformation itself is transparent to the public: starting with demolishing dinner event called “The Last Supper”, followed by the “Műhely” (meaning Workshop) experimental space opening in November 2021, leading to the final stage of the rebirth expected to open sometime in 2022. MŰHELY – A RESTAURANT WITHIN A RESTAURANTOne of the old guest areas has been repurposed as the hall of Onyx and given its own experimental entity.

“Műhely” operates as the creative space of the Onyx Creative Community, which opened its doors in November 2021. The glass-covered room is where the meals and presentations are being developed, guests can witness these processes and become a part of them. This personal test kitchen is the complete opposite of what Onyx represented before.

Instead of the stiff, white-glove dining experience, the small space of “Műhely” seats 16 guests at a shared table filled with the warmth of oak furniture.
The other space that was previously used as a guest area is still undergoing renovations and will be the home of the reforming Onyx offering a refined menu.
The two spaces will be connected physically, but each area will have a different interior, offer different experiences and have different dishes in separate price ranges.

After the opening of ONYX, “Műhely” will remain a space for research and development and innovation, where guests will see behind the scenes the work processes. However, both restaurant spaces share the vision of presenting progressive Hungarian cuisine based on the intertwining of art, science and gastronomy and that uses local ingredients and focuses on sustainability.Just to mention a few, they pay special attention to kitchen waste management, the use of environmentally friendly detergents, and water and energy-saving kitchen technologies.

The staff uniform is made from recycled fabrics, and some dishes main ingredients are cooked to perfection chosen from elements refused by other restaurants. DESIGNIn the case of architecture and interior, sustainability means locally sourced materials, well thought through spatial arrangement, multifunctional furniture, and as little surplus as possible. Instead of the old heavy curtains and baroque wallpapers, URBA used a natural stone powder to create texture on the walls similar to rammed earth, to create a more intimate space.

Furniture includes 9 tables used as singles or combined into one large community table for private dining events or internal experimentation and presentations, explicitly created in this space by URBA. When Onyx commissioned URBA to design the restaurant’s new interior, the client also asked the studio to create a bespoke chair to enrich the space.

This proved itself to be a complex and lengthy product development process: it had to feel ergonomically right, comfortable for most people, durable, fit the space but not to be too loud visually, and had to be produced in the required quality. The designed chair is characterised by its oak frame and three legs topped with an oil finish and leather back & seat.

The chairs are produced by KOMOK, a young company committed to working with fellow Hungarian designers and architects to create high-quality products made in Hungary from local materials. Following a metal staircase from Műhely, one can reach a small gastro library and a cabinet of curiosities filled with relics from Onyx’s past.

The hope is to become a hub for traditional and forward-thinking knowledge for young aspiring chefs. .

Onyx Gallery

Reference

Interior Design

Ashiesh Shah creates “visually soft” restaurant interior in Mumbai

By Zarkon Group,29/06/2021

Textured surfaces and sinuous forms populate this outpost of vegan restaurant chain Sequel in Mumbai, which was designed by local architect Ashiesh Shah.

Located in an office development in the city’s Bandra Kurla Complex, the interior was conceived as a calming antidote to the busy business district beyond.

“The restaurant alludes to a timeless charm, celebrating the ethos of subtle luxury, slow living and refined lifestyles,” Shah explained.

Counter seating with oak veneer walls in Sequel restaurant interior — The dining area of Sequel’s Mumbai outpost features counter seating (above) as well as a number of standalone tables (top image)

Divided into two zones, Sequel features a grab-and-go counter on one side and a cafe on the other, which serves as a formal dining area for customers looking for a break from work.

The two areas are divided by a central partition with a doorway on either side for easy circulation.

Seating area with sheer curtains and rounded seating in restaurant by Ashiesh Shah — Sheer curtains cover the restaurant’s wrap-around window

Shah designed the restaurant as a reflection of Sequel’s philosophy, which it described as “futuristic in form and earthy at its core”.

Textured materials are paired with neutral colours and soft edges to create a “visually soft interior”.

Spherical lights and counter seating in Sequel restaurant interior — Shah had a number of furniture items, such as these stools, custom-made for the project

“The material choices for the space pay homage to Indian craftsmanship and handmade processes,” Shah explained.

A sculptural lighting fixture, handmade using lacquered channapatna beads from the Indian state of Karnataka, hangs in the centre of the seating area.

Seating area with oak veneer walls and sculptural chandelier made from wooden beads in restaurant interior by Ashiesh Shah — A chandelier made from lacquered wooden beads hangs above the dining area

Here, walls are lined with oak wood veneer that runs from the ground onto the walls and along the gridded facade, while a sheer curtain covers the wrap-around window. A matching console unit is finished in the same oak wood veneer.

The grab-and-go section of the restaurant is enveloped by curved walls clad in louvred wooden panelling that was handmade on site, before being finished in an open-grained veneer with grey lacquer.

A monolithic serving counter enveloped in moulded off-white Corian resin emerges from the wall and snakes out into the dining area.

Its curved lines are echoed in the false ceiling overhead, where globe-shaped lights are positioned like pearls within oyster-shaped reliefs made from textured lime plaster.

The same bumpy plaster was applied to parts of the walls and a series of oyster-shaped shelves that appear to grow out of the wall, while patterned terracotta bricks line the floor.

Oyster-shaped ceiling relief with spherical lights in Sequel Mumbai — The ceiling is decorated with oyster-shaped reliefs

Many of the furniture pieces, including the rounded chairs and sofas in the formal dining area as well as the consoles, bar units, coffee counters, communal tables, shelving and storage cabinets, were custom-made for the project.

“The lighting, materiality and form together celebrate a narrative of perfect imperfection,” Shah explained.

Integrated white shelving in restaurant interior by Ashiesh Shah — An integrated shelving system seems to grow from the walls

In his work, the architect says he practices the Japanese aesthetic philosophy of wabi-sabi, which finds beauty in imperfections.

Other restaurants with textured surfaces include a Kyiv eatery by Yakusha Design  with rough concrete walls and this fine-dining restaurant where Valencia studio Masquespacio employed uneven surface finishes such as rough stucco, ceramic and terracotta tiles.

Photography is by Atelier Ashiesh Shah.

Reference

Interior Design

Child Studio transforms 60s London post office into Maido sushi restaurant

By Zarkon Group,18/06/2021

Child Studio has used a glass block wall, dark cherry wood panelling and a soft blue coffered ceiling to channel 1960s London in this sushi restaurant.

Located in a former post office, Maido is an eatery in London’s Saint John’s Wood neighbourhood with interiors designed to honour the heritage of the late modernist building.

Glass blcok wall and wooden cupboard in Maido restaurant — A curved glass brick wall divides the space

“We were fascinated by the unique story of this building and aimed to capture the nostalgic atmosphere of 1960s London, paying tribute to the modernist public spaces of the era,” said Child Studio founders Alexy Kos and Che Huang.

“The design evolved around the bold geometry of this period and the juxtaposition of simple materials: wood, glass, clay and steel.”

Steel panelled bar and MR10 tubular steel chairs by Mies van der Rohe chairs in restaurant interior by Child Studio — Maido is anchored by a steel-panelled bar

The walls across the entire space are clad in cherry wood while shallow alcoves are decorated with a rotating selection of artworks.

A suspended coffered ceiling hangs overhead, its grid pattern echoed in the black quarry tiles on the floor and the semicircular glass brick wall that divides the space.

The curved partition wall also forms a generous, leather-upholstered seating booth at the back of the space.

Wood-panelled walls with art in Maido restaurant — Shallow alcoves are decorated with a rotating selection of art

The focal point of Maido’s interior is a central island bar clad in reflective curved steel panels.

Here, the sushi master prepares and serves authentic Japanese dishes while customers perch on polished aluminium bar stools by Japanese industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa.

“It was important for us to create a range of different seating scenarios and balance the convivial atmosphere with more intimate nooks and crannies,” Che explained.

To complete the space, the studio sourced a selection of classic midcentury furniture pieces. These include antique MR10 tubular steel chairs by Mies van der Rohe and moulded plywood armchairs by Norman Cherner.

Pipistrello table lamps, designed by Gae Aulenti in 1965, sit on the island bar and on a large communal dining table while antique wall sconces produced by Italian manufacturer Stilnovo create a cosy ambience.

Wood-paneleld walls with MR10 tubular steel chairs by Mies van der Rohe in restaurant by Child Studio — Mies van der Rohe’s MR10 chair was used throughout the interior

Founded in 2017 by Che Huang and Alexy Kos, Child Studio has previously completed a 1950s-style interior for a vegan pizzeria in west London, which was shortlisted in the 2019 Dezeen Awards.

All photographs are by Felix Speller and Child Studio.

Reference

Interior Design

Masquespacio designs restaurant with stucco walls and terracotta pathway

By Zarkon Group,17/06/2021

The beauty of Spain’s Aragon province informed the earthy colour palette, natural materials and curved forms used in this fine-dining restaurant interior by Valencia studio Masquespacio.

Located in the city of Huesca, Pukkel serves up a menu of healthy food and, according to the owners, aims to offer “a sensorial experience beyond the gastronomy.”

Valencia studio Masquespacio designed the project — Pukkel is a fine dining restaurant

The interior uses a palette of natural materials and colours and undulating, textured forms that are intended to reflect the beauty of the nearby Pyrenees mountains and surrounding countryside.

“After doing a workshop with [Pukkel’s owners], Jorge and Mikel, we immediately proposed to work with 100 per cent natural materials and integrate nature into the space,” said Christophe Penasse, co-founder of Masquespacio.

Pukkel is in Huesca — Textured surfaces reference the nearby Pyrenees mountains

As well as the natural landscape, the designers wanted the interiors to reflect the restaurant’s healthy cuisine.

“We investigated the province of Huesca and started to discover the beauty of the mountains and parks in its surroundings,” added Masquespacio creative director Ana Hernández.

“We definitely found the reference we were looking for and that fitted perfectly with the healthy lifestyle concept from Pukkel.”

The design studio selected different tones of brown, white and green that are used alongside gold accents, which it said add a “little bit of sophistication” to the space.

The restaurant’s layout follows the curved lines and circular forms of the booth seating to create a winding pathway through the space. According to the designers, this is intended to create the feeling of walking through the forest or mountains.

Masquespacio designed a winding path from terracotta tiles — Dark green is combined with lighter tones

This curved path is further highlighted by the colour of the floor tiles, which change from natural terracotta to glazed green or white in the different seating areas.

Uneven surface finishes such as rough stucco, ceramic and terracotta tiles are used to reflect the textures and forms found in nature. The terracotta tiles on the floors, bars and the undulating tiles on the walls were designed specially by Masquespacio for Pukkel.

Masquespacio injected green accents into the restaurant — Terracotta tiles wind through the space

The stucco seating booths feature integrated planters filled with plants and flowers that will change depending on the season.

Other restaurants designed by the studio include the Milan outpost of Italian fast-food chain Bun, where it selected a lilac and avocado-green colour scheme to create a youthful yet “sophisticated” interior, and a tropical sushi restaurant in Valencia, Spain, that mixes Japanese and Brazilian-inspired design elements.

Reference

Interior Design

Masquespacio designs colour-blocked restaurant in Turin for burger joint

By Zarkon Group,13/06/2021

Spanish design agency Masquespacio has created the interiors of Italian fast food chain Bun’s Turin branch that combines blocks of pink and green with a blue seating area designed to look like a swimming pool.

Bun Turin is a burger joint that takes its bold identity from the first Bun restaurant in Milan, which was also designed by Masquespacio.

“This restaurant’s target customer is the urban lifestyle of people born late in the Millennium and the new Generation Z,” Masquespacio co-founder Christophe Penasse told Dezeen.

Masquespacio designed the colour-blocked interiors — The burger bar is in Turin

Characterised by three distinct colourful areas, the burger joint uses pink, blue and green in order to playfully carve out different spaces in the restaurant.

The sections are designed so that the restaurant’s three large windows present each colour as a separate blocked out space from the outside.

The restaurant is in Turin — Green and pink sections feature in the restaurant

Upon entering Bun Turin, visitors are greeted with an ordering bar and drinks and ice cream fridge coloured in a dusty sage shade of the restaurant’s trademark green.

Lit-up digital menu boards with gold accents display the restaurant’s food options, while a version of the same neon burger logo found in Bun’s Milan branch glows from a nearby pillar.

Colourful tiles form the restaurant by Masquespacio — A neon burger sign glows from a pillar

Pink and blue are used for two different seating areas both complete with built-in furniture.

In the pink area, a central table coloured partly in green straddles both the pink and green sections of the restaurant.

Sugary-pink terrazzo steps that double as a planter lead visitors to seats tucked into arched booths in the pink seating area, which also houses the burger joint’s toilets.

A planter features in the pink seating area — The pink seating area has terrazzo steps

Bun Turin’s all-blue seating area is built from pale tiles that are designed to look like a swimming pool.

The area features mock pool ladders which aim to give visitors the impression of floating in water while they eat.

“Once we defined Bun’s identity we developed the project in 3D,” said Penasse.

“At the end of the process, we do a lot of trials to reach the correct combination of colours and materials,” continued the designer.

“In this case, we had several options for colour combinations, all focussed on a younger audience.”

Masquespacio designed a swimming pool seating area — The blue seating area resembles a swimming pool

Apart from tiles by Complementto, all of the furniture in Bun Turin was designed by Masquespacio.

“It is important for clients that Bun spaces can be recognised wherever they are located,” explained Penasse.

“For this reason, the design will evolve and be slightly different in each space, but maintain a clear identity.”

Masquespacio designed the three sections in blocks of colour — Each section is revealed to the street by a large window

Masquespacio is a Valencia-based design agency founded in 2010 by Penasse and Ana Milena Hernández Palacios, known for its use of bright colour.

Other recent projects by the studio include colour-blocked student housing in Bilbao, and a stucco and terracotta restaurant in the Spanish town of Aragon constructed from twisting shapes informed by the nearby Pyrenees mountains.

Photography is by Gregory Abbate.

Reference

Restaurant

Onyx // URBA – Architizer Journal

Onyx Gallery

Ashiesh Shah creates “visually soft” restaurant interior in Mumbai

Child Studio transforms 60s London post office into Maido sushi restaurant

Masquespacio designs restaurant with stucco walls and terracotta pathway

Masquespacio designs colour-blocked restaurant in Turin for burger joint

Get in touch

about us

Company info

Useful Links

Newsletter