Saint Urban, the namesake of this new restaurant, symbolizes a person and a culture. As the patron saint of vineyards, vintners, coopers and wine, he is called upon to protect a place, the work which is done there, its product and its custodians. The design reflects that heritage in forms, materials and colors we associate with the culture of that place. You see this in the earthen gray of the stucco walls, the naturally finished oak, blackened steel and brass, the gray, green and brown bottle tones of the light fixtures and hanging sculpture, the warm tans and browns of the fabrics and leathers. The artwork clarifies this association with place and terroir through the figural representation at large scale in maps and at a finer scale in the vines and roots themselves. The anthropomorphic features of the terracotta amphorae bring this culture reference of place and people into sculptural form. As a metaphorical reference, the profiles of the slatted wood louvers against the uplit masonry walls recall the twisted shapes of vine trunks as they rise from the earth to a trellis supporting the canes, shoots and fruit. The trellis form appears at the ceiling of the bar whose association with the vineyard is reinforced by the glowing glass leaves of the sculpture overhead set against a black background recalling the nighttime sky above an open field. Underfoot, textural variety continues in the solidity of the end grain wood floor to the softness of carpet to the hardness of slate-colored tile as though walking in the out-of-doors. The design of the tabletop similarly presents a composition of materials and colors – in wood, metal, glass and fabric - which pair with the offerings on the plate. Throughout, the textures and colors of natural materials are pre-eminent referencing the materiality of the dining experience and harmonizing with the product of the adjacent kitchen, modestly visible through its portal, as well as the precious contents of Saint Urban’s cellar.
As a space of hospitality, the dining rooms are small and intimate with a variety of seating types to accommodate different groupings of diners but always with attention to the consistency of experience, from the character of the room to the finishing features to the lighting, details and views. On entry, the dark ceiling, the full height curtain and vertical emphasis of the louvers against the pre-existing masonry wall reinforce the dramatic height of the first dining room. The painted surfaces of the brick walls of the original building provide dappled uplighting which silhouettes the diners at the perimeter of the space. Passing from front to back, the bar and ceiling narrow and lower the route of passage, creating both an intervening scenario of activity and abundance in glassware, wine bottles and service activity and a prelude to the expansion vertically of the space beyond. Throughout, a similar detailing of wood millwork, decorative features, lighting and seating types insures consistency in the individual experience of the diner within the surprising variety of spatial experiences in a small space. The controlled view into the kitchen through a portal reminds patrons of the important work of this place, half machine with its supporting repository of food and drink and half dining venue. Throughout, a sense of community prevails with those served and those servicing them working in unison and harmony under the protection of Saint Urban.
No project brief is available for this project.
