AÜRT RESTAURANT
HILTON DIAGONAL MAR
Barcelona - Spain
AÜRT RESTAURANT Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona
michelin star - AÜRT
voted best Restaurant Design 2019 - The International Hotel & Property Awards 2019
Aurt restaurant & new lobby now opened
In November 2019 Aürt restaurant received its first Michelin Star - thanks to the dedication and skill of chef Artur Martinez and the Hilton Team - the interior design praised by Michelin Guide judging panel as being ‘singular’. Aürt is a word that perfectly expresses the ‘exoticism of proximity’ that inspires the cuisine of chef Artur.
In Catalan Aürt means punch. This was the simple yet compelling briefing and concept from Artur - his food a profound encounter with proximity and simplicity, it’s an intense gastronomic hit, the main ingredient being emotion. There’s a genuine honesty in every dish that are meticulously prepared right in front of the guest's eyes.
Preparing such a setting was the challenge for THDP where right in the lobby we were asked not to place just the restaurant but the preparation kitchen itself. Never had such an undertaking been made, and it was not a small feat to blend the requirements of a busy working lobby with those of a fully working kitchen.
Aurt Restaurant - Aurt means Punch
The solution came with the specification by THDP of an external cladding of the kitchen with a thin layer of Neolith, a Spanish made 6mm Sintered Stone which encases the technical equipment and allows the kitchen to visually recede whilst losing none of its functionality.
Pared back, with simple forms creating a visual ‘punch’ this was our design concept from the outset.
However simple rarely means easy, as we learnt crafting each piece and tending to the exact requirements of Artur’s team and those of the hotel’s guests. Finally, here then is a restaurant where traditions are told and fables unfold, an exclusive and unique setting limited to just 15 diners.
“I prefer reflective simplicity to forced complexity ”
Mai Bar - Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona
“Being awarded a Michelin Star 8 months after opening is quite extraordinary. Huge congratulations to the team at Aurt, an outstanding culinary offering based in the lobby of Hilton Barcelona Diagonal Mar. ”
Aurt Restaurant - Night
THE NEW GUEST LOBBY
The lobby area too was to receive an update and to visually tie in whilst develop the visual simplicity of the Aurt Restaurant. Free here to add more colour - the forms are still oblique, challenging yet for a visual dance for the guest. Screening allow THDP to divide the space into different areas, drinking, waiting and chatting zones. The upholstery is relaxed, colourful and playful with touches of local fabrics and forms.
