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Sanjay Gangal
Sanjay Gangal is the President of IBSystems, the parent company of AECCafe.com, MCADCafe, EDACafe.Com, GISCafe.Com, and ShareCG.Com. Comedor Restaurant in Texas by Olson KundigSeptember 19th, 2019 by Sanjay Gangal
Article source: Olson Kundig The design for this modern Mexican restaurant in downtown Austin establishes a protected urban sanctuary for Comedor’s progressive dining experience. Located on Fifth and Colorado, a busy intersection in Austin’s central business district, the new building takes a strong corner position to leave space for a protected open-air inner courtyard. “Veiled transparency evokes a sense of refuge from the busy urban street outside. Yet while you’re enjoying the protected courtyard space, you don’t lose sight of the surrounding urban context. You remain absolutely rooted in Austin.” –Tom Kundig, FAIA, RIBA, Design Principal  Image Courtesy © Casey Dunn
 Image Courtesy © Casey Dunn Key Consultants: The Burt Group, General Contractor; McKinney/York Architects, Architect of Record; Micki Spencer, Interior Production; Stantec, Civil Engineer; The Garden Design Studio, Landscape Architect; Structures, Structural Engineer; Aptus Engineering, MEP Engineer; O- Lighting, Lighting Design; KB Architectural Services with Phil Turner, Gizmo Design; Drophouse Design, Gizmo Fabrication Quiet from the outside, inside visitors are transported to an urban oasis in the heart of Austin. A façade of dark brick interspersed with glass brick glows at night, piquing curiosity from the street, while screening interior spaces from direct view. A discreet entry sequence on the south opens to a glass-wrapped, double-height dining space, where candlelight and a tonal material palette of steel, Hickory wood and concrete continues the sense of mystery established outside.  Image Courtesy © Casey Dunn  Image Courtesy © Casey Dunn “The driving idea for Comedor was a design that orchestrates between interior and exterior spaces. The protected inner courtyard allows the restaurant to open up completely during those great Austin nights, but also feel protected from the urban situation just outside.” –Tom Kundig, FAIA, RIBA, Design Principal The heart of Comedor is the interior courtyard which contains Palo Verde and Acacia trees and a small fountain. Over one-hundred-year-old exposed brick from the adjacent historical McGarrah Jessee Building lends texture and context to the courtyard, which opens to the elements to take advantage of Austin’s climate. The interior dining space with bar and formal dining adjoins to the courtyard via four retractable guillotine window walls operated via manual hand cranks, allowing Comedor to open completely to the outdoors. Warm leather upholstery, wood banquettes and tables, and multi-colored textiles soften the custom blackened steel furnishings, which include custom chairs, bar stools and light fixtures. Throughout, a careful orchestration of contrasts defines this comfortably refined modern restaurant. “Comedor balances the functional needs of the project program with the more poetic desire to create an impactful space, resulting in a coherent and practical design solution.” –Tom Kundig, FAIA, RIBA, Design Principal  Image Courtesy © Casey Dunn  Image Courtesy © Casey Dunn  Image Courtesy © Casey Dunn  Image Courtesy © Casey Dunn  Image Courtesy © Casey Dunn  Image Courtesy © Casey Dunn  Image Courtesy © Casey Dunn  Image Courtesy © Casey Dunn  Image Courtesy © Casey Dunn  Image Courtesy © Casey Dunn  Image Courtesy © Casey Dunn  Image Courtesy © Casey Dunn  Image Courtesy © Casey Dunn
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Category: Restaurant |
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