Aldea
31 West 17th Street
New York, NY
Tel: 212-675-7223
Designer: Stephanie Goto

For his new restaurant, Aldea, chef George Mendez wanted an interior that had a narrative relationship to his Portuguese heritage. Architect Stephanie Goto responded with a design that plays off of the elemental qualities of the Iberian peninsula by combining materials that invoke earth, air, and water. Like Portugal itself, the space was narrow at 2,000 square feet and shoehorned into a recently constructed condo building. “We had to dance around the existing conditions,” said Goto, “and find a way to tell a story.” She proceeded by breaking out distinct “rooms” which flow together in a measured procession. The front of the restaurant, known as the gallery, is a gracious, double-height space with a bar backed by illuminated oak panels. Next comes the dining room, whose lower ceiling and booth seating make for an intimate experience. All the way at the back, an open kitchen puts Mendez on stage for those diners at the six-seat counter or adjacent chef’s table. Stairs lead to a mezzanine level, which features a private dining room and an area for more flexible seating arrangements. Goto contrasted the elements of earth and water in her treatment of the restaurant’s two main walls. The “earth” side features the building’s concrete structure and the oak panels that create alcoves for indirect lighting. The other was hand painted in a striated pattern of watery blue and white. The grace note, however, is a custom chandelier made of 400 acrylic tubes that hangs above the chef’s table. “The sequence of moving through the restaurant is a journey that ends with this cloud-like lighting feature,” said Goto.