A Dialogue Between Interior and Exterior

At the heart of the Watchmaking Campus in Geneva, Côté Jardin stands as a sanctuary where nature and architecture intertwine. A restaurant surrounded by gardens that invites the outdoors to blend with the indoors, dissolving boundaries and creating a seamless and natural transition. The design proposal seeks to establish a space in constant connection with its surroundings, where flexibility plays a key role, also allowing its use as a coworking space and transforming it into a dynamic and vibrant place throughout the day.

Play of Transparencies and Vegetation

The project revolves around a central structure that defines the space and sets the design’s direction. In a restaurant with two distinct levels, this element becomes a visual and functional connector, integrating heights and areas with a delicate yet defining presence. It consists of a lightweight metal mesh with organic shapes, inspired by the natural topography of the gardens. Like a subtle veil, this structure acts as a filter between the inside and the outside, allowing light and vegetation to intermingle in a play of shadows and transparencies.

To emphasize this transition, a translucent curtain with a gradient from green to terracotta wraps around the structure, evoking a poetic fusion with nature. It is a gesture that captures the essence of the exterior landscape and brings it into the interior.

Materiality in Harmony

The furniture has been designed to reinforce the lightness and flexibility of the space. Custom-made benches have been created to dialogue with the overall concept, crafted from a combination of wood, green-toned fabric, white tiles, and a vibrated stainless steel baseboard.

These materials are subtly repeated in different corners of the restaurant, weaving a common thread that unifies the visual and tactile experience. Natural tones and organic textures blend with industrial architectural elements, such as concrete and an exposed-ceiling structure. The interaction between materials creates a harmonious contrast that enhances the warmth of the space without losing its contemporary essence.