One goes in search of a fish or seafood meal, but soon realizes that going to Lota d’Ávila is more than just having a meal. It’s diving into a universe related to the sea. With a modern and relaxed atmosphere, Lota d’Avila, designed by the architecture studio Spacegram, gives a diferent take on the experience of a traditional brewery.
Let’s enter. The strong orange color that greets us captures our attention. It’s the fish market, where seafood and fish are on display. There are ice trays, stainless steel equipment and tables, a perfect contrast with the tiled walls, the floor-washing hoses, the orange crates, and the absence of barriers between the work area and the seating area that “transport” us to the fish market and invite us to a dining experience in an industrial, raw, and uninhibited environment. The modern connection between what is caught and our meal has the fish market, the vital center of distribution dynamics, underlying it. And that’s why it’s also the entry point to the restaurant.
Associated with the space of a fish market is also the storage space. It’s in the Warehouse, in a dark environment punctuated by metal shelves and red light, that storage spaces, as well as waiting and dining areas, are located. Playing a significant role in connecting the two main spaces – the Fish Market and the Beach Club – the Warehouse, through its chromatic tone, appears as a contrasting space.
Let’s continue, because from now on, everything harmonizes for the sea to prevail during our stay. With a sandy-toned environment, we discover the “Beach Club.” From the organic-shaped rattan pieces that filter the zenith light to the perforated block benches and striped fabric cushions, to the brushed slats with staining, everything maintains the perception of the beach hut concept.
The different shades of blue – the color that best associates us with the sea – and the visual relationship with the cooking area framed by stainless steel portals unite all the different areas accessible to the customer. In the Fish Market, in the Warehouse, or in the Beach Club, we look around and indelibly perceive that nothing has been left to chance on this “journey.” If we feel the breeze or the freshness of a morning at the beach or hear the waves, it has been masterfully induced.
The space materializes the customer’s relationship with the sea. It’s not just the seafood snacks of their choice in the restaurant; it’s their stay in a place where architecture intertwines different aspects of our relationship with the sea, such as fishing, the fish market, the beach hut, so that they feel the experience, subtly going beyond a simple visit to the restaurant. With the mastery of design, the meticulousness of materials, colors, and decorative pieces, Spacegram, the responsible studio for the project, manages to take us from the industrious bustle of the fish market to the most enjoyable beach day or to awaken our imagination about the sea, with fishing tasks or the allure of distant lands.
Avenida Duque de Avila 42B
2022
Restaurant
Built
Ana Ferrão, Bruno Pereira, Gilberto Pedrosa, Micael Pepe, Ricardo Nogueira
Francisco Nogueira