Bedtime Stories (Outdoor)

The aim was to create a summer bar terrace for the area situated between the port and beach, near the Formula 1 circuit, which was being held for the first time in Valencia. The project revolved around the design of large structures, whose aim was to provide shade from the sunlight during the day and to project images and moving lights at night. We used five thousand metres of criss-crossed material, whose shadows projected stripes onto different surfaces. These stripes were to remind people of the patterns created by the shadows of the traditional cane roofs from their childhood, typically found covering the beach bars of the Mediterranean Coast. The canes provided refreshing shade in these locations, as the spaces between them allowed a light breeze to circulate that conventional awnings could not. Our goal was to obtain the same results but by using material with a more contemporary look, done so with our specially designed criss-crossed fabric. Parts of these structures were fixed like spiders onto the existing building (built circa 1911 it was left unfinished and has remained that way since), while the other structures formed a type of pergola above the tables, marking the diagonal line between the bar and restaurant area and the chillout zone. Seventy-eight rosemary plants, indigenous to the Mediterranean and chosen for their aroma and deep green colour, were added to the periphery to frame the scene. In terms of furniture, nine beds (provided with the collaboration of Pikolin) were used to create a completely relaxed atmosphere, in addition to a line of tables (specifically the Sis model by Punt Mobles) chosen for their porcelain surface, which is both weather-resistant and easily maintained. Everything was set up to allow for a variety of activities, from lunching and dining, to drinking tea and cocktails and finally to night-time partying. Cocktail tables and low chairs, such as the Right Twist Cube designed by Gehry, completed the scene along with our specially-designed 5 metre long bar of Silestone Blanco Zeus. Photography by: Héctor Rubio