
A California Restaurant with Sweeping Views by Olson Kundig
Landscape has an outsize influence on our experience. This is very true at Cyrus, a restaurant Geyserville, California that recently reopened with a fresh design by Olson Kundig. Crafted for chef Douglas Keane, the space is defined by its exterior environment, namely an established design by Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture. “Working with her design gave us an incredible source of inspiration,” explains design principal Tom Kundig. “It allowed us to introduce a dialogue between interior and exterior rooms, as well as the vineyards and eastern ridge beyond.”
Creating the 8,000-square-foot restaurant meant renovating an existing building, once a Sun Sweet Prune packing plant. This work was done with a careful eye on creating a dining environment that draws diners seamlessly through the spaces. After entering through a custom steel door, diners enjoy a lounge that overlooks the vineyards. Wine and appetizers are served in this space, which features a large steel table that cantilevers from an existing column. Next, they advance to an intimate eating area with U-shape table that allows for direct interaction with the chef. They then move to main dining room, which overlooks a large reflecting pool. There, guests are served a multi-course dinner while surrounded by expansive views. “The big design move on the building façade was to create a new, huge window to frame an ancient olive tree,” Kundig notes. “And make that a special moment in the dining experience.”
Throughout Cyrus, the spaces flow effortlessly into each other, and the material palette is subdued. “The experience is centered around presenting and savoring the artistry in the kitchen,” Kundig explains. The architects also created flexibility for the restaurant, as the space needed to be able to expand for larger events. In all, Olson Kundig’s design creates a noteworthy new home for a legendary California restaurant.
At Cyrus, Diners Take In Sweeping Vineyard Views













read more
Projects
Olson Kundig Offers a Fresh Narrative on the Life of Bob Dylan for a Center Honoring His Work
Olson Kundig’s orchestration of exhibits and rare photography at the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, tells a story about the musician.
Projects
Serenity Prevails in This House Surrounded by Nature on Canada’s West Coast
Olson Kundig reinvents the architecture of a mid-century home, while Erica Colpitts makes the interiors reflect the serene landscape outside.
Projects
Hommeboys’ Marine Layer Wines Hipifies Staid Sonoma County
new design culture in the County. Locally-based duo Austin Carrier and Alex Mutter-Rottmayer combined coastal and vineyard vernaculars to create a contemporary California style with a Healdsburg Plaza tasting room for Ma…
recent stories
Projects
Glossy Reds Echo ‘Suspiria’ At This Bold Mexico City Bar
Explore how Carmin bar by Maye Ruiz brings avant-garde drama to Mexico City with mirrored reflections and a fun nod to Italian horror film ‘Suspiria.’
Projects
Sculptural Columns Set The Scene For This Coastal Hotel Restaurant
Atelier Gulla Jonsdottir crafts an intimate dining setting for Marelle with hand-plastered walls in a dusky terra-cotta hue and undulating plaster columns.
Projects
Rockwell Group Elevates A Korean Fried Chicken Eatery
Consuming fried chicken becomes a theatrical experience at Coqodaq, by Rockwell Group, with its green leather-and-walnut booths and illuminated arches.