Swingos Grand Tavern

Avon Lake, OH, United States

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Swingos Grand Tavern

Avon Lake, OH, United States

Firm

Type

Hospitality + Sport › Restaurant

YEAR

2006

SIZE

5000 sqft - 10,000 sqft

BUDGET

$500K - 1M

Located within an ordinary strip mall building, this project utilizes
provocative spatial and material effects to transport patrons into a
sensuous interior atmosphere, enhancing the dining experience.Lush draperies lye directly beyond the storefront acting to
conceal and emboss the progressive unfolding of layered spatial
experiences revealed upon entrance into the tavern. Patrons are
greeted by a monolithic wood wall at the entry that cloches activity
beyond. Material surfaces located to either side of the entry space
infer the varied spatial experiences encountered beyond. To one side,
the extreme horizontal banding of a stone wall lines the procession to
the dining area. To the opposite, a butt glazed, floor to ceiling wine
cellar directs visitors to the lounge with a dramatic wall of floating
wine bottles. Within the singular open volume articulated by the
existing exposed structure, dining and lounge are organized by a
collection of built in furniture that simultaneously define and allow
for flow between spaces. Imbuing the dining area with a greater sense
of intimacy, a wood trellis composed of continuous members form a
permeable striated surface where lights drop through to create an
ambient field, enhancing the mood of this space.Furniture pieces perform multiple functions throughout
the tavern that inform their aesthetic. The wine cellar conditions and
displays the wine bottles that hover within. The high backed lounge
booth not only provides seating for casual diners, but screens those
diners from foot traffic behind the booth on route to and from the
dining area. The glowing singular surface of the bar top folds
vertically to create partitions between patron and service bars. This
surface also crawls up the wall and cantilevers out to structure the
wine glass rack. Additionally, the decorative shelving unit located
between lounge and dining areas provides additional display while
generating a work surface for servers to prepare presentations. The
material palette reconceptualizes traditional notions of the tavern.
Organic materials are articulated synthetically while synthetic
materials take on organic shapes. 2006 Honor Award, American Institute of Architects, Cleveland Chapter