Austa | Studio Gameiro

Although new restaurants seem to pop up everyday, and a bit everywhere, the stories behind each project are rarely told. People behind those stories, and the craft which layers and makes up every object and corner, are usually relegated to a few thank you notes at the end of lengthy technical descriptions. This project, and the incredible story, and journey, behind it, deserves centre stage. What started as an idea, and enormous challenge, to create something unique and singular, became a wonderful example of team work and careful investigation into what local craftsmen could add up to build something that lasts.

Our clients — a talented couple that traded their busy London lives to explore notions of slowness, craft and sustainability — gave us a clear briefing: to develop a unique dining experience by creating a design theme which was anything but typical, but which immediately set the tone, and texture, of a different Algarve.
The South of Portugal is full of incredible hotels and restaurants that cater for an international clientele, but lacks spaces which tell of the centuries old traditions of intricate craft and texture which are now given a twist. Our Studio is known for its innovative approach which gracefully blends tradition with contemporary functionality.

AUSTA, completed this year and already a beehive of creativity in the region, is a celebration of the Algarve’s heritage, craftsmanship, and natural beauty. This harmonious fusion of traditional and vernacular influences with modern functionality — in line with our clients’ vision — invites visitors to experience welcoming and comfortable spaces rooted in a healthy and sustainable ethos. When was the last time you actually took a seat to be surprised?

Design: João Gameiro, Alexandre Cisneiros, Barbara Dzavanova

Photography: Daniel Schäfer

Collaborations: TechSalt (salt tiles), Fatimastones (stonework), Candelar (metalwork), Loulé Criativo (copperwork), Teresa Gameiro (textiles), Patrique Santos (carpentry)