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carballeira restaurant

a simple shed building on the main road, which leaves the town of lleida for zaragoza. inside, an existing galician seafood restaurant, winner of a michelin star. respond to these two paradoxes, while refurbishing and extending the existing building, is the key to this project. 

formally and conceptually, the new building grow from the existing pitched roof kitchen and dining block, creating a series of undulating roof forms which unify the whole, giving it a stronger presence, particularly from the busy road. the unpleasant immediate surrounding environment and the 'foreign' nature of the restaurant, dictated an internalized organization. blank external walls are painted white. only two openings puncture this enclosure. one, placed high within the raised entrance volume announces the presence of the restaurant to the main road. the other, on the entrance elevation, contains a large window giving views of the kitchen and the entrance door to the restaurant. 

inside, two patios have been introduced which provide natural light, contact with the outside and a calm, disconnected from the noise outside. the undulating roofs are visible inside, creating a series of interconnecting rooms with distinct characters, from the entrance and waiting area, through the new dining room to the existing dining room and beyond to the second new dining room. a completely new kitchen will be installed as part of the new refurbishment. 

the name of the restaurant, 'carballeira', means 'oak forest', in galician. oak floor boarding and wall paneling then become the unifying elements throughout the interior, leading the diners from the entrance, through a short passage, to their table. views are given of the produce and wines on offer through this enclosed passage which acts as a transition between the entrance and the dining rooms.  

vari caramés, a well known galician photographer, is collaborating on the project, producing large scale photographic wall panels for the interiors with contemporary views of galicia.

address: ctra n-ii km 457,5. lleida.

surface area: 420 m²

project: 2005

not completed

architects: vora arquitectura (pere buil castells, toni riba galí) + graeme mcquaker.

project team: rubén heras, ana pisco

services: einesa

kitchen consultant: grupo rull

client: ángel rodríguez, restaurant carballeira

photograph artist: vari caramés

images: graeme mcquaker