Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
The client, a young chef, approached us with the idea of creating a restaurant that would reflect the urban atmosphere of downtown Porto Alegre. The main idea was for the restaurant to be accessible, open and democratic. We identified that the key to achieve these goals was to establish forms of interaction with the street outside. For that, we created what we called an "active facade", meaning that the line between interior and exterior was blurred through the assignment of program to the restaurant's facade. The step leading into the building was enlarged on both entrances so that it could accommodate people. On the door on the left, a long communal table was positioned with seats that is half in and half outside, while on the door on the right the bar counter was extended to the exterior so that it could also tend to customers outside. The use of a muted color palette, wood and terrazzo was intended to bring a sense of simplicity and equality in opposition to the exclusivity sought by most fine dining restaurant options. The majority of furniture was custom designed in tubular steel for its simple lines, borrowing their language from the modern architecture of Brazil's urban centers.
