Susan Ungaro has been president of the James Beard Foundation since 2006;
The winners of the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Restaurant Design Awards were announced recently at a ceremony in Chicago.
Design studios Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Demian Repucci Design and Land and Sea Dept were judged to have created the best restaurant designs or renovations in North America in the past three years.
The first two practices tied for first place in the category for restaurants with 75 seats and under.
Renzo Piano Building Workshop were honoured for their Untitled restaurant at New York’s recently opened Whitney Museum of American Art, created in collaboration with fellow firms Cooper Robertson and Bentel & Bentel. Demian Repucci Design won for their restaurant Bruno, also in New York.
“Bruno is like a stretch limo version of a neighbourhood pizza restaurant,” said James Biber, chair of the Restaurant Design Awards Committee at the James Beard Foundation. “The stripped-down, low-budget design works because of its extreme simplicity and unifying colour. The jurors admired just how much was accomplished with a limited palette and budget.
“Untitled is a part of the much admired new Whitney Museum building, occupying part of the transparent ground floor. It is so transparent that it feels like an outdoor dining room defined by the urban elements surrounding it more than the museum itself. In some ways the opposite of its co-winner Bruno; this is a high budget stripped-down space but with a sense of the grand café.”
Land and Sea Dept were top in the category for restaurants with 76 seats and over for their design of the Cherry Circle Room in Chicago.
“Cherry Circle Room is a refit of an existing bar space within the historical 19th century Downtown Chicago Athletic Association on Michigan Avenue,” said Biber. “The design manages that careful balancing act between old and new, between clubby and public, and between serious and fun.”
Finally, the James Beard Foundation presented its first ever Design Icon Award to The Four Seasons restaurant in New York.
Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation, said: “It was unanimously decided that the Design Icon Award should go to the Four Seasons restaurant. We wanted to celebrate the stunning design by Philip Johnson and Mies van der Rohe. They came up with some great ideas – the metal curtains that have been replicated by so many other restuarants, the grand pool at the centre of the Pool Room, the trees that change with the seasons.. It was a truly one of a kind look.”
The Four Seasons restaurant will be moving to 280 Park Avenue in July, when its lease at the Seagram Building expires.
Susan Ungaro has been president of the James Beard Foundation since 2006;
The winners of the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Restaurant Design Awards were announced recently at a ceremony in Chicago.
Design studios Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Demian Repucci Design and Land and Sea Dept were judged to have created the best restaurant designs or renovations in North America in the past three years.
The first two practices tied for first place in the category for restaurants with 75 seats and under.
Renzo Piano Building Workshop were honoured for their Untitled restaurant at New York’s recently opened Whitney Museum of American Art, created in collaboration with fellow firms Cooper Robertson and Bentel & Bentel. Demian Repucci Design won for their restaurant Bruno, also in New York.
“Bruno is like a stretch limo version of a neighbourhood pizza restaurant,” said James Biber, chair of the Restaurant Design Awards Committee at the James Beard Foundation. “The stripped-down, low-budget design works because of its extreme simplicity and unifying colour. The jurors admired just how much was accomplished with a limited palette and budget.
“Untitled is a part of the much admired new Whitney Museum building, occupying part of the transparent ground floor. It is so transparent that it feels like an outdoor dining room defined by the urban elements surrounding it more than the museum itself. In some ways the opposite of its co-winner Bruno; this is a high budget stripped-down space but with a sense of the grand café.”
Land and Sea Dept were top in the category for restaurants with 76 seats and over for their design of the Cherry Circle Room in Chicago.
“Cherry Circle Room is a refit of an existing bar space within the historical 19th century Downtown Chicago Athletic Association on Michigan Avenue,” said Biber. “The design manages that careful balancing act between old and new, between clubby and public, and between serious and fun.”
Finally, the James Beard Foundation presented its first ever Design Icon Award to The Four Seasons restaurant in New York.
Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation, said: “It was unanimously decided that the Design Icon Award should go to the Four Seasons restaurant. We wanted to celebrate the stunning design by Philip Johnson and Mies van der Rohe. They came up with some great ideas – the metal curtains that have been replicated by so many other restuarants, the grand pool at the centre of the Pool Room, the trees that change with the seasons.. It was a truly one of a kind look.”
The Four Seasons restaurant will be moving to 280 Park Avenue in July, when its lease at the Seagram Building expires.
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme
that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-
day destination.
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
A new immersive attraction designed to transport visitors into the final hours of ancient Pompeii
is preparing to open near the world-famous archaeological site in southern Italy.
Experience design company, BRC Imagination Arts, has completed a transition that sees founder
Bob Rogers pass ownership of the business to four long-serving senior executives, while
remaining actively involved with the company.
Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th
anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse to reinforce the park’s
longstanding “Hollywood in Germany” positioning.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Efteling has opened Hooghmoed, a new family drop tower designed to broaden the appeal of its
recently launched Sirene Island themed area and introduce younger visitors to thrill attractions.
