Hospitality Design - August 2011 - (Page 104)
spanish soul Embracing historical references in Washington, DC By Kelly Hushin Photography by Paul Burk Photography Building a new restaurant is easy, finding its soul is not. So says Griz Dwight, principal of DwightForm Design Architects, and the man behind the design at Estadio, a Washington, DC, Spanish tapas restaurant. Estadio is just one year old, but its core was built to feel timelessly authentic against contemporary touches. “A soulful restaurant makes patrons feel comfortable and warm when they walk in the door and somehow the new paint of the walls does not feel new,” he says. His inspiration stemmed from owner Mark Kuller and chef Haidar Karoum’s trip to Spain to explore traditional restaurants and Spanish culture. During and after the trip, Kuller (whose first restaurant, Proof, was also designed by Dwight) would call Dwight to recount spending hours in the kitchens of Spanish restaurants, talking to Spanish chefs, eating, drinking, and carousing through all hours of the night… Above, inset: The exterior of Estadio, a new Spanish tapas restaurant in Washington, DC, which inside seeks to blend authenticity with contemporary touches. This photo: The concrete bar, built in one solid pour, is surrounded by century-old concrete tiles. 104 hospitalitydesign www.hospitalitydesign.com
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