MADERA

When we first were introduced to this project, we walked into a space that had once been a nightclub but sat abandoned for years. We did our best to look past the layers of black paint, cracked mirror walls, narrow corridors, and the corrugated plastic canopy. We saw a glimmer of potential for what this space could become, but we did not yet envision the magical urban oasis that would be revealed after months of shaping, refining, and discovering through the design/build process.

This architectural renovation was a collaboration between Vanessa Till Hooper and her brother, reclaimed and faux specialist, Jake Hooper. 

Madera is the word for wood in Spanish. With that in mind, the first thing we did was to bring in a wide variety of reclaimed wood to incorporate into the striking canopy ceiling and bring warmth to the great dining hall. The wide-planked entry walkway, the giant pergola beams, and the hanging vintage wood chandeliers become a primary point of focus as you stem through the custom fabricated metal gates into the lush patio garden.

This project required large structural changes. The entire interior was stripped to its bare bones and the exterior facade was upgraded with a row of custom metal landscape windows. The exterior facade visually floats above a garden of succulents. The main stairs of reclaimed wood divide the two fenestrated facade walls leading through the patio into the dining area.

Custom bent steel bar stools line the large wrapped bar, which features Spanish style concrete tiles with a row of cube cluster custom pendant fixtures hanging above. A long mustard yellow built-in banquette wraps the dining room, as an homage to the Barcelona roots. On the patio, a vintage leather chaise sits in front of the wood burning fireplace connecting the outdoor bar/lounge with the patio dining area. The outdoor patio features two large olive trees, a custom mural by a local artist, and cascades of hanging succulents and rare ferns. The concrete patio is transformed into an urban oasis both day and night.  

Inspired by 19th century greenhouses and Spanish hacienda courtyards, our goal was to strike a balance between old and new. Between natural beauty and industrial chic, we revealed the magic of bringing together refined vintage elements with rough reclaimed wood.