Interiors of Bars and Restaurants that Blend Cultures, Arts, and Materials: El Equipo Creativo and Their Works in Barcelona

How does the design of contemporary interiors create different experiences through its materials? How does the adaptability and reuse of certain materials make it possible to generate contrasting and/or complementary atmospheres within a single space? According to each material’s textures, proportions, colors, or properties, interior architecture currently recognizes the opportunity to create environments where materiality plays more than just an aesthetic role. With special attention to the final experience of its users, El Equipo Creativo aims to combine designs where landscape, nature, culture, and art stand out in interior compositions that accommodate broad programs and audiences.

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El Equipo Creativo is an interior architecture and design studio based in Barcelona, Spain, founded in 2011 by architects Oliver Franz Schmidt, Natali Canas del Pozo, and Lucas Echeveste Lacy. With diverse projects in hospitality, gastronomy, and brand-related spaces, their designs are grounded in conceptual approaches that seek to tell captivating stories and inspire people through spatial design. After receiving various international design awards such as the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards, the FRAME Awards, and the BOY Awards, their trajectory and methodology have also been recognized on multiple occasions.

But what inspires the interior design of a bar or restaurant? How do the product/service being offered, the context of its location, or the culture surrounding the gastronomy/brand influence the design? In PAKTA Restaurant, El Equipo Creativo aims to unite cultures and cuisines. The design of the space understands that the basis of Nikkei cuisine is Japanese, yet it is wrapped in Peruvian flavors, colors, traditions, and ingredients. By reinterpreting these two cultures through their most emblematic traditional elements, a burst of Peruvian color emerges to envelop the space. This is materialized through direct references to the Peruvian loom, contributing vibrant colors in contrast to Japanese austerity, and grounding the design in the craftsmanship of Peruvian culture. In Ikibana Paral Restaurant, a fusion of cuisines is also proposed, this time between Japan and Brazil. The design seeks to bring together some of their shared singularities, such as the importance of landscape in both cultures. Through the use of natural and noble materials, both vibrant and dry, the aim is to create an artificial landscape in constant motion.

In this way, the materiality of the projects is capable of reflecting cultural identities as well as connecting with their respective regional contexts. In Simultaneo, for example, El Equipo Creativo sets out to integrate the natural beauty and Mediterranean charm of Montjuïc. The goal is to recreate the atmosphere of a true garden within the city. Warm wooden ceilings that emulate tree canopies, organic shapes serving as benches, and natural and neutral tones to highlight the vegetation. These elements are conceived as the generators of a broad, versatile gastronomic and cultural space suitable for multiple activities.

The use of local materials and products, together with the collaboration of local artists and artisans, helps create bonds between users, opening the door to a deeper understanding of the roots, stories, and environments involved in the experience. Among the many projects developed in hotels, residences, and other settings, the following is a selection of bar and restaurant interiors designed by El Equipo Creativo in Barcelona, which use different materials in the pursuit of conveying a variety of sensations, aesthetics, and styles.

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Simultaneo Bar at Hotel Plaza / El Equipo Creativo

Compartir Restaurant / El Equipo Creativo

EL MAMA & LA PAPA Bar Restaurant / El Equipo Creativo

Blue Wave Bar / El Equipo Creativo

Disfrutar Restaurant / El Equipo Creativo

PAKTA Restaurant / El Equipo Creativo

Ikibana Paral Restaurant / El Equipo Creativo

This article is part of an ArchDaily series titled Get to Know the Works of, where we look at the built portfolio of a studio, explore their creative process, and highlight their approach. As always, at ArchDaily, we greatly appreciate the contributions of our readers. If you think we should highlight a particular architectural firm, send us your suggestions.

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