Boutique Design - October 2019 - 19

CENTRAL BAR,
SELECTION RESTAURANT
MOSCOW
Opposites attract, interact and refract in the Sundukovy Sisters'
(S+S) design concept for Moscow's Selection restaurant. The
result is big-time visual drama between the menu's two main
forces, meat and fish, in the central bar-a space that serves as
the home base for the spectator sport known as dining in this
high-intensity (and don't forget high-style) eatery.
The spotlight remains steady on food prep here, with the grill,
a barbecue pit and an open fish-filleting zone front and center in
the main dining area. The focus gets even tighter with a standalone chef's table in the meat zone, which also has its own "lab":
meat hangs in a separate room with a viewing window.
Three oversized metallic structures above the bar counter
enforce a color scheme of gold for fish and gray for meat. Two
sharply different visual worlds evolve from this focal point,
rippling out in a circular movement around these soaring stelae.
The floor plan was rotated 45 degrees from the main axis of the
building to promote this orbit-like flow.
"Guests sitting at the bar examine the subtle dynamics of
light gliding over the various angles of the stelae during the day
and into night," say Irina and Olga Sundukova, S+S founders.
"To a rich imagination, these elements may even reference
ancient beings watching over people silently but attentively."
The concept clashes cold, angular, rugged brutality and
warm, matted elements, say the Sundukovy sisters. Glossy
carbon countertops on the bar contrast with the raw, ridged
stone veneer on the base. Liquid metal is used for the stelae
and cladding around columns. Directly underfoot are ceramic
granite tiles that imitate a rippled metal. The interplay of these
static vs. dynamic textures is intensified when played against the
concrete flooring on the other side. Tables made from a eucalyptus root veneer add a natural nuance. Wrapped by cushioned
banquette seating that helps soften them, their sharp angles
are ergonomically designed to give each guest the same comfort
and views when observing any of the three adjacent show
kitchens. They can be joined together in various ways for larger
groups, so the configurations underscore the dynamics of the
restaurant's architecture and deviation from standard layout.
For Selection, it's all about selecting the right stuff to create a
space that not only excites the eye but puts the guest at the center
of the culinary theater. It's true, opposites attract. But here, you'll
find no disputes.

RISE UP

Even dropped ceiling
and the expanse above it
push the narrative
by incorporating the
space's signature gray
and gold tones-one
matte, one reflective.

TASTE OF HOME

Room dividers encase a
secondary bar zone near
transparent wine cellars
(bathed in golden light). These
shimmering accents can do
double duty as display space
as shelves for candles.

MIKHAIL BUCHNEV

PROJECT PARTICIPANTS
OWNER
Alexey Gubkin
DESIGN FIRM
Sundukovy Sisters: Irina
Sundukova and Olga
Sundukova, founders and
head designers; Yana
Popok, art director

ARCHITECT
Sundukovy Sisters: Irina
Sundukova and Olga
Sundukova, founders
FLOORCOVERINGS AND
MATERIALS
Iris Ceramica

FURNITURE
LaCividina
LIGHTING
LED Monster

OCTOBER 2019 boutiquedesign.com

http://www.boutiquedesign.com

Boutique Design - October 2019

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