Interior design of new Restaurant, Bar & Lobby

Strategically located in Barcelona's vibrant Plaza de España, EL EQUIPO CREATIVO proudly introduces Hotel Plaza, embarking on an exciting transformation of its ground floor. The goal is to create a new Lobby Bar and Restaurant that will become a gastronomic and cultural space open to the entire city.

Bar Area
Photo credit: Adria Goula

Located at the base of Montjuic mountain, the city's largest urban park, the design of the new space aims to seamlessly blend Montjuic's natural beauty and Mediterranean charm. To achieve this, the existing slope between the entrance and the rear restaurant area creates stepped platforms with organic shapes. These platforms invite guests to explore them, evoking the feeling of ascending the mountain in front.

Bar area

The platforms create undulating paths around the new circular Bar, which becomes a node of centripetal energy, almost like a new roundabout that engages with Plaza de España. With its prominent formal presence and visible position from the entrance, the Bar becomes the focal point that invites visitors to enter. The materiality in this area seeks to recreate the ambience of a garden, with warm wooden ceilings resembling treetops. A natural and neutral colour palette accentuates the vibrant green of the ceramic Bar.

Bar Area _ Detail
Photo credit: Adria Goula

Lobby area

The hotel's reception is discreetly positioned on the initial access level, yet remains peripheral. This area is designed with vibrant and artisanal ceramics composed of three-dimensional pieces specially crafted for the project. The aim is to establish a dialogue with the bar counter, while capturing the freshness and greenery of Montjuic Park.

Lobby Area
Photo credit: Adria Goula

Lobby Area - Detail
Photo credit: Adria Goula

"SIMULTANEO" Gastronomic space

Venturing further into the project, the top level features a spacious area bathed in intense natural light, thanks to its new translucent greenhouse-like roof. Underneath this radiant Mediterranean light, El Equipo Creativo has created a true garden within the city. Large planters fill the space with greenery and freshness. Their organic shapes serve as benches, creating undulating pathways and even a small elevated stage. Through this careful arrangement, diverse areas and intimate corners are crafted for seating, each ideally suited for specific occasions or times of the day. This thoughtful configuration enables Simultaneo Restaurant to fulfill its functional requirements as a spacious and versatile gastronomic and cultural space where multiple activities can coexist throughout the day, from breakfast to evening cocktails, and from business meetings and family gatherings, to conferences and concerts.

Restaurant Area
Photo credit: Adria Goula

Restaurant Area
Photo credit: Adria Goula

Restaurant Area
Photo credit: Adria Goula

About EL EQUIPO CREATIVO

Founded in 2011 by architects Oliver Franz Schmidt, Natali Canas del Pozo, and Lucas Echeveste Lacy, EL EQUIPO CREATIVO is a renowned Barcelona-based interior architecture and design studio specializing in the design of hospitality, gastronomy, and brand spaces. The firm's philosophy centers around the belief that spatial design should tell compelling stories and inspire people, always grounded in a solid conceptual approach. Beyond project recognition, the studio has also been honoured for its trajectory and methodology with awards including Best Interior Design Firm (Architizer A+Awards), Interiors Practice of the Year (WIN Awards), and Firm of the Year (The American Architecture Prize). In addition, FRAME magazine recognized EL EQUIPO CREATIVO as one of the 20 most influential designers in the world.