” The perfect restaurant and wine bar should feel like a luxurious and special place to unwind. It should be stylish, inviting and at the same time functional, ensuring a magical drinking and dining experience. ZONA has all expectations covered, with an inviting design, beautiful features and a soothing ambience, plus some added surprises. Designing ZONA was a team effort between interior stylist Heni Kiss and POSITION Collective, with the substantial involvement of the clients. The result of this collaboration, is a restaurant that’s a real gem shining bright in its beautiful home city of Budapest, Hungary.The space feels special as a result of the atmosphere that the design effortlessly creates, like the calm River Danube that flows through the city. On the surface this space seems simple and calm but behind the surface and reflected on the ripples of changing atmosphere are exciting hidden depths. The stunning design is the result of a lengthy development process, during which both the space and the architectural concept developed in parallel. One very clever aspect of ZONA’s design is that it simultaneously combines and separates the two functionally different areas – the restaurant and wine bar – by dividing a single space into two clearly distinct areas, both in terms of materials used and atmosphere. In the sumptuous wine bar, hot-rolled steel has been used on the wall, floor and ceiling and for the construction of the wine bar counter and the wine storage wall. The striking glass window front floods light into the space by day whilst the muted warm materials and colours used in the design make the most of twilight light as it darkens into night.  In the restaurant, ZONA ensures a luxurious dining experience. The gorgeous colour palette gives the space a stylish bold moody feel because of the contrast with the black paint. In the main restaurant area, original features such as the stunning parquet floor have been lovingly preserved, creating a grand yet homely milieu. This is luxury turned up a notch. On the wall opposite the restaurant‚ is a surface covered along its full width with mirror panels. These mirror panels, mounted at an angle, correct the inclination angle of the rear wall and at the same time reflect the special panorama of Pest seen from the restaurant whilst elongating the room. Masculine elements such as the sturdy bar and robust but beautifully designed seating compliment design flourishes such as the use of metallics and lighting to add subtle sparkle, enhanced in the mirrors’ reflection, adding to the overall atmosphere. A vitally important element of ZONA’s interior design – as with any interior design – is the lighting concept. This restaurant’s all about atmosphere and the use of light is central to the design. The mirrors and windows make the space feel airy and comfortable whilst clever technological inclusions add an extra dimension. The lighting of ZONA consists of two parts: one serves to highlight consumption surfaces, which was solved by the use of spotlighting in order to sufficiently highlight both the bar counter and the tables. The other part consists of 80 hanging lights on the ”bourgeois” side, the main function of which is to set the atmosphere and provide general lighting. The entire building is connected to an intelligent regulation system, which allows for the setting of the lighting, music, temperature, or even ventilation according to the time of day, season, or even mood. This is truly thoughtful design.

The end result of the combination of the fairy-tale world of Heni Kiss and the functional and minimalist view represented by POSITION Collective is a colourful new venue on the gastronomic scene of Budapest. Who wouldn’t want the privilege of experiencing dining at ZONA. ” 

Yatzer

Credits:

Graphic Design – David Barath

Photo – Georgij Merjas