Highlighting Natural Materials: Restaurant Nómada in Lisbon by Spacegram.

Spacegram studio has created a rich and enveloping space for their second venture with Restaurante Nómada, located in the centre of Lisbon’s vibrant shopping district. Completed in October 2020, the 150sqm eatery is an immersive dining experience that reflects the playful sensibility of the menu, a mix of Japanese cuisine and European flavours.

Materiality and sculptural elements have been key to reinterpreting the original barren and vault-like interiors. With a restrained palette of rusty red hues – inspired by the Japanese shade of aka – and natural materials of wood and marble, an overarching sense of warmth and quiet sophistication can be felt across three distinct spaces.

The entrance is through a tunnel emitting a soft glow that acts as a transitional threshold leading into the cocktail bar. A custom black metal staircase and bar are the focal point here – their clean, geometric lines defining this first intimate space.

On the lower dining level, a naturally lit, elongated space houses the sushi bar. The dramatic vaulted ceiling draws the eye up to the centrepiece of the room, a neon light fixture designed by Ian Yurisch in collaboration with Spacegram. Casting an amber glow its wire boat frame celebrates nomadic travel.

Casual dining is imbued through the composition, a nod to Japanese minimalism, with four tables sitting with a direct view of the restaurant’s sushi kitchen. Rojo Alicante stone and original pine floorboards painted a similar rust-red colour contribute to the monochromatic scheme. Providing an accent alongside the hues of aka the chairs, custom-designed by Spacegram have velvet upholstery in vintage gold colour.

Mirrors punctuate the space allowing guests to catch glimpses of forms and textures they may have missed.

The signature space is the most absorbing and intimate of all. Aptly named the ‘Cocoon Room’, this enclosed interior is enveloped in rippling wood panels, produced by MtWoods, echoing the natural aquatic world. Strip lighting along the top of the curved lounges highlights the texture of the ripples. The hand veneered panels curve at the top revealing an opening with a vortex sculpture hanging from the ceiling. Signifying nomadic water travel, the sculpture captures light and shadow as it moves in the space. A cavernous, cosy private dining space sits just off the cocoon room for an even more immersive dining experience– a great spot for events or special tastings.

Otherworldly and experiential, Spacegram’s design captures the ethereal energy of travel and nomadic life, while highlighting natural materials in a surprising way.

The making of the Cocoon Room and Vortex.

[Images courtesy of Spacegram. Photography by Francisco Nogueira.]