{"id":239619,"date":"2024-10-17T18:11:30","date_gmt":"2024-10-17T22:11:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interiordesign.net\/?post_type=canvasflow&p=239619"},"modified":"2024-10-18T11:20:49","modified_gmt":"2024-10-18T15:20:49","slug":"esca-cueva-ignites-cairos-dining-scene","status":"publish","type":"id_project","link":"https:\/\/interiordesign.net\/projects\/esca-cueva-ignites-cairos-dining-scene\/","title":{"rendered":"Badie Architects Ignites Cairo\u2019s Dining Scene with Esc\u00e1 Cueva"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Glass doors framed in aluminum open entirely to a terrace featuring custom furniture and unobstructed views of the Cairo cityscape.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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October 17, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n

Words: <\/span>Ravail Khan<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photography: <\/span>Nour El Refai<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Badie Architects Ignites Cairo\u2019s Dining Scene with Esc\u00e1 Cueva<\/h1>\n\n\n

Among the inspirations <\/strong>for Esc\u00e1 Cueva, a new restaurant by Egyptian firm Badie Architects<\/a> that\u2019s heating up Cairo\u2019s culinary scene, is the feminine form. \u201cI was looking to reflect the body\u2019s complex elegance, while prioritizing comfort and practicality,\u201d recalls founder and chief architect Mohamed Badie, who earned his master\u2019s in architecture from SCI-Arc. But, as witnessed by the sweeping rocklike formations pervading the 5,300-square-foot venue, it\u2019s clear nature contributed to the concept as well. \u201cThere\u2019s a sense of enclosure and intimacy, similar to what would be experienced in a grotto,\u201d adds junior architect Farah Kamel\u2014an apt description, as cueva<\/em> means cave<\/em> in Latin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sited atop a hill with panoramic city views, the architects have built upon the existing base of a former home, softening and reshaping it with organic forms cut from silhouettes of the human body in motion, and added an expansive dining terrace to take advantage of those vistas. The undulating contours, while raw and elemental, were complex to formulate, made possible by mixing 3-D software and traditional hand craftsmanship by local artisans, wrapping a steel skeleton with a cement-polymer mix painted the color of sand dunes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rough surfaces, such as the ecru flooring, complemented by modern custom furniture upholstered in earthy-toned leathers ground the scheme, illuminated by natural and artificial light. Stretched ceiling fixtures emulate the diffuse glow of sunlight filtering in through the rounded openings, while others embedded into creases and depressions accentuate depth and texture. \u201cBlurring the lines between architecture and nature, the user and their surroundings, strategic placement of lighting helped enhance the forms, creating a visual peace,\u201d Kamal adds. The vibe intensifies, however, in the restrooms, where the fluid, monumental curves are lit by vividly hued LEDs that may remind patrons of saffron, a common Egyptian spice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore This Trendy Restaurant by Badie Architects<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The female body and Egyptian caves inspired the undulating, cocooning curves.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Under stretched ceiling fixtures, the main dining area seats 75.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Leather upholsters the custom seating. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Glass doors framed in aluminum open entirely to a terrace featuring custom furniture and unobstructed views of the Cairo cityscape.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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In the restrooms, colored LEDs highlight the organic forms found throughout the restaurant.\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The color of the restroom LEDs is meant to spark curiosity. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Flooring throughout the 5,300-square-foot space, a former home, is a cement-polymer mix.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The scheme entails a steel infra\u00adstructure covered in a cement-polymer mix, achieved with 3-D software and finished by hand by local artisans.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The terrace includes a DJ booth. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

PRODUCT SOURCES FROM FRONT: AQUA ART:<\/strong> STUCCO WORK (RESTROOM). THROUGHOUT NEOCEMENT:<\/strong> WALLS, FLOORING. COLORTEK:<\/strong> PAINT. MRIYA BY ELLA:<\/strong> BLACK CERAMICS. ARCHILIGHT:<\/strong> LIGHTING DESIGNER. FREE ART STUDIO:<\/strong> GENERAL CONTRACTOR. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n