Close

The Cantabrian Maritime Museum restaurant was designed by Zooco as a brutalist design overlooking the sea

The project provides the museum with a new space on the second floor to house its restaurant and terrace in

Multidisciplinary interior design firm Zooco recently completed its latest project – the Cantabrian Maritime Museum restaurant in Spain. Located on Severiano Ballesteros Street in Santander, Spain, the restaurant was conceived as part of an architectural complex that also includes the Oceanographic Centre designed by Vicente Roig Forner and Ángel Hernández Morales, built between 1975 and 1978.

Part of the pyramidal aluminum structure

Part of the pyramidal aluminum structure

The original building consists of two square bodies connected by a canopy, with a concrete structure. The interior is distributed over three floors, around a central courtyard covered by a vault of paraboloid membranes. In 2003, a renovation and an extension were carried out which included the extension of the west façade and the roof of the terrace with a pyramidal aluminium structure, thus altering the initial conception of the building.

The project provides the museum with a new space on the second floor to house its restaurant and terrace in. To accomplish this, the project involved the creation of a new volume that provides a solution to the pathologies present in the roof and façade of the building.

View of the landscape of the Bay of Santander

View of the landscape of the Bay of Santander

The square morphology of this volume is the result of the addition of four triangles that regularise and complete the paraboloids of the original building, thus directing the visitor towards the interior, to the rawness of the concrete paraboloids. In a sense, the geometry becomes a recovered element, a vestige of the past and the protagonist of the interior of the restaurant. Treated as an artistic element, the triangular wooden false ceilings frame it.

The exterior features a glass box that provides maximum transparency (nuanced by textiles in the form of curtains, depending on orientation) and allows expansive views of the extraordinary landscape of the Bay of Santander, lending to the feeling of being at sea.

Triangular wooden false ceilings

Triangular wooden false ceilings

Photography by David Zarzoso

The Latest
January 31, 2025

Textures That Transform

Aura Living’s AW24 collection showcases the elegance of contrast and harmony

January 31, 2025

Form Meets Function

Laufen prioritises design, functionality and sustainability in its latest collections

Art
January 30, 2025

Preserving Culture, Inspiring Creativity

Discover the Legacy of a Saudi Art Space: Prince Faisal bin Fahd Arts Hall explores the Hall’s enduring influence on the cultural fabric of Saudi Arabia

January 29, 2025

Channelling the Dada Spirit

Free-spirited and creative, The Home Hotel in Zurich injects a sense of whimsy into a former paper factory

January 28, 2025

id Most Wanted- January 2025

Falaj Collection by Aljoud Lootah Design

January 27, 2025

Things to Covet in January

identity selects warm-toned furniture pieces and objets that align with Pantone’s colour of the year

January 24, 2025
Stacy Stewart, Regional Director_ MillerKnoll

Shaping the Future of Workspaces by MillerKnoll

Stacy Stewart, Regional Director Middle East & Africa of MillerKnoll discusses the future and evolution of design in workspaces with identity.

January 24, 2025

Shaping Urban Transformation

Gensler’s Design Forecast Report 2025 identifies the top global design trends that will impact the real estate and built environment this year

January 24, 2025
105 Residences by Kamdar

Unveiling Attainable Luxury

Kamdar Developments has launched 105 Residences, a new high-end development in Jumeirah Village Circle.

January 24, 2025

The Muse

Located in the heart of Jumeirah Garden City, formerly known as ‘New Satwa’, The Muse adds to the urban fabric of the area

January 24, 2025

Cultural Immersion Meets Refined Luxury

The Chedi Hegra opens its doors in AlUla’s UNESCO World Heritage Site

January 23, 2025
Sunshine Bay

Redefining Coastal Luxury

Sunshine Bay on Al Marjan island combines seaside views, exceptional design, and world-class amenities to create a unique waterfront haven