PAULISTA - RESTAURANTE

Found within the Chelsea Market, PAULISTA is a hybrid upscale/casual Brazilian restaurant designed for the world-renowned Brazilian chef, Alex Atala. PAULISTA features various design elements inspired by the Amazon Rainforest, and the state of Sao Paulo, as Atala has spent a significant amount of his life in both places. Key features include the Jatoba wood material, the elaborate Sao Paulo graffiti murals, and the authentic Sao Paulo state tiles, all of which come together to create a comfortable and almost familiar atmosphere, bringing warmth and life into the space. PAULISTA is a truly unique experience that momentarily transports the guests to Brazil, giving them a glimpse of the Brazilian life. Atala helps to further enhance the experience by presenting guests with authentic Brazilian dishes, and also introducing them to various new ingredients that are not as well known. 

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Designed in the Spring semester of my Sophomore year at FIT, the goal of this project was to create a restaurant inspired by a chef of our choice. I chose Alex Atala because of his connection to Brazil, the culture, and his attempts are creating something new with his dishes. Each student was assigned a lot space in the Chelsea Market. With each lot being so different from one another, we created vastly different spaces. I created PAULISTA, the name inspired by the famous avenue the runs through the middle of the city of Sao Paulo, which is always filled with life and people. My long lot space allowed me to create a layered environment that reflects the various forms of life and movement in not only the Amazons but also in Brazil.

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The space begins with the outside façade. An structure found just below the ceiling, painted in white, juts out from the entrance, touching and connecting two columns. On the left of the façade is a built -in planter made from concrete that sits a few inches within the above piece, this painted in a creamy white. This planter holds tropical plants, and behind it is a wall paneled with wood slat tiles, which are every popular in Brazil. The rest of the walls sits further recessed in, painted in a warm brown and the structural columns have been left unwrapped, in their original concrete material. Walking through the accordion glass doors, the guest is greeted by the host at the Host Station. They can check in with the host and after they can drop off their coats with the Coat Room staff found at the left of the Host Station. While they wait for a table, guests can order starters at the Waiting area and Bar. The Waiting area also serves as a Grab-N-Go area, in which guests who are looking for a quick bite can eat or pick up their food. Displayed on several walls of the restaurant are colorful murals, inspired by Brazil, the culture, and art, including graffiti. We see a colorful mural found along the wall of the Waiting area. The bar counter along the front of the restaurant has accordion window panels which allow a passersby to see into the restaurant and for dinning guests to look out into Chelsea Market as well.

 

Behind the Waiting area is the Bar with its organic, curvilinear shape. The first thing a guest may notice is the black and blue tiled floor which follow the shape of the bar. This is the authentic flooring found on many Sao Paulo streets, where the blue is usually white in color, but colored here to tie together with the colorful nature of PAULISTA. The back wall of the Bar includes an antique glass that is back lit, along with lit glass shelfs that illuminate the drinks and bottles. Above the shelves is the wine racks, in the Jatoba wood. The Bar counter includes a shiny black quartz that reflects the lights surrounding it. And the seating mimics the colors of the pendants that hang above the bar, casting a soft glow beneath it. Behind the Bar is the Main Dining area which offer various types of seating for the guests. Not only does it display many colorful murals but also features a curved glass wall that sits just behind the Host Station, and this allows not only for lighting to peer into the Main Dining area but also for those passing by to peek into PAULISTA. The booth seating follows the curvilinear shape of the half wall behind it which separate the Main Dining area from the Private Dining area. The two areas are divided not only by the half wall but also a curtain that sits on a track following the entire shape of the Private Dining area. The Private Dining area can be used for private parties, and when in use, the curtain can be drawn closed to give the guests more privacy. When a party is not occurring, it is used as a second dining area. The Private Dining area is also two steps above the the rest of the Main Dining area to give it even more distinction and privacy.

 

The flooring found through most of the space is polished concrete which helps to tie the upscale feel of PAULISTA with the casual and everyday environment of Sao Paulo streets. The Private Dining area, the Kitchen/Back of House, and the Restroom all feature a terra cotta tiled floor which is often found in homes and restaurants in Brazil and help to draw more warmth into the space as it goes well with the Jatoba wood found on the walls and furniture. The columns found throughout the restaurant have also been wrapped in gypsum wall board so they are square, and have been painted a warm brown. These represent trees like those found in the Amazon Rainforests that seem to stretch out forever into the skies. There are also three host stations in several locations. Host Station one is found in the Main Dining area behind the Coat Closet. Host Station two is found next to the Bar and near the Kitchen, and Host Station three is in the Private Dining area. These stations help ensure that guests are well taken care of and don't go without anything. Each station has built-in shelves, cabinetry, and lighting to give the employees room and visibility. The last space in the restaurant is the Restroom. This is an all-gender restroom with individual stalls, an ADA lavatory, and a communal sink area. A partition wall separates the stalls from the sinks, displaying another colorful mural. Throughout the restaurant, the use of dark, warm, color from the Jatoba wood, the low lighting, and dark ceilings help to create an intimate environment for the guests. 

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The ceiling was designed to mimic the flow of the rivers of Brazil and the Amazon. Each area of the restaurant has a different height and follow the curves of the spaces below it. The entrance with the Host Station sits at 11'-6" AFF, with the Waiting Station siting 3" below it. The Bar sits another 3" below the Waiting Area, at 11'-0" AFF. The Main Dining area has a finished ceiling that sits just below the ceiling beams, at 11'-9" AFF. The Private Dining area has a finished ceiling at 11'-0" AFF and the back hallway has a finished ceiling at 11'-3" AFF. Between each ceiling height change is a soffit and cove lighting that illuminates each ceiling, creating the illusion of stepping from one space to the next. The public areas have a dark gray ceiling that helps the space to appear endless. The lowest ceilings are found in the Coat Closet and Restroom, sitting at 10'-0" AFF. The ceiling in the Coat Closet and inside the stalls of the Restroom are painted white as this is a tighter space, and the communal area of the Restroom is painted black.

 

Lighting has been places strategically in the restaurant so that there could be at few as possible. Throughout the space, there are recessed lights. Spaces like the Host Station and Private Dining area have chandeliers that illuminate it, and pendants hang over the bar tops areas, like in the Bar area and Waiting area. Spot lights have been placed in areas that highlight the murals beneath it, like near the Host Station 2 and in the Main Dining area. For intimacy, wall sconces were used in place of recessed lights in the Private Dining area, and in the Restroom stalls, wall sconces were added for a calmer environment. The space also features dark, warm brown painted moldings that wrap around the restaurant ceiling

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One of the most grand features found in PAULISTA is the light fixture in the Main Dining area. A custom fixture designed by yours truly, it is called Guarana Curiosa, inspired by fruits and plants from Brazil, incorporated into an Alex Calder-style mobile. To learn more about this custom light fixture, click here.