GLORIETTA

a dynamic venue where guests would come for a drink and stay for dinner, project architect Sophie Harris fashioned natural elements into arresting sculptural features and sought a spatial plan that would promote conviviality within a lofty space. Alexander & Co principal Jeremy A cold, commercial character, including an open ceiling to allow for the base build utilities to remain effective and compliant, were obstacles that made our team work hard to craft a sense of identity, intimacy and warmth. Firstly, the space was deconstructed into separate zones, achieved by applying floor treatments to contain each space such as polished concrete around the bar and northern dining area, timber boards in the central dining space and concrete slabs as kitchen surrounds. The large scale, volume, view and elevated floor area became advantages to creating theatre and spatial uniqueness. Clever use of five different seating options further establishes each zone, from the high timber tables and stools at the bar to the olive-green leather banquette, rust-red-toned tables and bentwood chairs. A pizza oven, open kitchen, dining counter and bar ribbon the entry adding atmosphere and interest, while the bar is positioned for street visibility. We imagined that to eat at Glorietta could be like finding yourself in a Mediterranean farmer’s field. Each portion of the space is an abstraction of this narrative: from the ‘birds’ in the sky (main dining area lights), the billowing ‘clouds’ (rattan ceiling), the various lines of crops gridded onto the floor (different materials used) and the ‘shed’ off to the side (the kitchen arbour) where the food is lovingly prepared. An earthy, organic and warm palette was achieved via selection of contemporary yet durable pieces. Tonally gentle design elements soften the space, including recycled timber, olive and apricot leathers and tiling, red tables, brass, and light linen curtains that encircle the venue. The bespoke ‘bird lights’ in the main dining area are beautiful and the rattan feature was a clever device to soften the impact of the silver-panelled ceiling and allowed us to create warmth and intimacy (and I like that rattan is also the fastest renewable tropical wood, processed in low-tech, non-polluting facilities).