Coral Mesika · CLIENT: COCO Atelier
TER is a restaurant concept that was developed following the Art Sella forest calamity in Malga Costa, Italy. The calamity brought forth the question - What does a "stable" space feel like? Physiologically and physically. How can a space be brought back to life after experiencing a calamity? The restaurant blends into its surroundings by acting as another rock in the landscape. It is differentiated by the smoke arising from its center, which creates a sense of allure and intrigue. It’s a sight that draws people in toward the center – reestablishing the core essence of Art Sella.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- TER is a restaurant concept that was developed following the famous Art Sella forest calamity in Malga Costa, Italy. Different than most of the forest's artwork, TER looks like a massive boulder rearing in the forest. The stone exterior makes up the majority of the interior as well, acting as its base material.
The layout is designed in a circular motion around an open outdoor cooking space in order to fully commit to the campfire cooking concept. Everyone in the four areas of the restaurant can view and enjoy the chefs at work, creating a seemingly interactive dining experience.
The restaurant blends into its surroundings by acting as another rock in the landscape. It is differentiated by the smoke arising from its center, which creates a sense of allure and intrigue. It’s a sight that draws people in toward the center – reestablishing the core essence of Art Sella. - Dimensions & Packaging
- The restaurant is 200 mr2. Its circular layout is divided into sections, allowing each visitor to choose their preferred choice of seating. The sections include: lounge, bar, table dining area, stair seating and intimate seating area. All sections surround the outdoor cooking area allowing all the visitors to enjoy it at once.
- Tags
- Restaurant, Restaurant design, Forest restaurant, Restaurant concept, Campfire cooking
- Production Technology
- The conceptual idea of stability is translated through mass, shape and materials. The stone exterior makes up the majority of the interior as well, acting as its base material.
With the materials there is a clear balance of old and new. The old acts as the foundation and pays homage to the area’s roots whereas the new alludes to a burgeoning future. Together, they play a game of layering, and develop throughout the space.
In addition, natural light is a main factor that is used in each area in the restaurant. The outskirts of the circular ceiling allow light to flood the natural forms of the stone. This emphasizes the flow of the space along with the contrast against the "colder" materials, such as metals that are lit using artificial light. - Design Challenge
- The biggest creative obstacle was during the planning phase early on. I had reached the geometry and volume of the space but at first the layout wasn't fully committing to the concept of campfire cooking. It started out with smaller grill type cooking. At some point I realized that I was holding the space back from reaching its full potential, and that I just had to carve a hole in this thing to make a fire burn!
- Project Duration
- This conceptual project is located in the forest of Art Sella in Malga Costa, Italy. It was exhibited while receiving an Honorary Mention from the competition in October 2019.
- Operation Flow
- This project can be operated as a free standing restaurant by any chef interested in committing to this concept and or with the Art Sella Organization.
- Research
- My research was aimed to fully understand the location of the restaurant, which is the famous art forest, Art Sella. It was important for me to understand the type of land involved, the character of the forest, the view and nature. Most importantly, I researched what artwork was previously situated in the forest in order to naturally integrate with it and not take away from it.
Another aspect of research was the campfire cooking method that would be used in the restaurant, which I found to be most appropriate when paired with its surroundings. - Inspiration
- The inspiration that drove this concept was researching the question: What does a "stable" space feel like? Physiologically and physically. How can a space be brought back to life after experiencing a calamity?
This is how I approached the project in further thinking and developing this idea. I knew this space had to ensure its visitors stability, comfort, and a new experience.
Once addressing that, I searched for the link between the forest land and the food that would be served in the restaurant. The pastoral landscape was the canvas in which the function had to be linked to. After much research, I was very inspired by the chef Francis Mallmann. The simplicity in his cooking method was something I was striving for. I found that campfire cooking would be the perfect link between the two, and from there the concept continued to develop. - Image Credits
- Renders by Yair Stein
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