Modern Restaurants

Gourmet is a cultural ideal associated with the culinary arts of fine food and drink, or haute cuisine, which is characterised by elaborate preparations and presentations of large meals of small, often quite rich courses - says Wikipedia. Devoted gourmet lovers would probably say restaurants are all about cuisine but it was a discovery I was glad to make - people with good taste for food also appear progressively more interested in architecture that makes sense. Functionally, there is a certain duality about restaurants - they need to be able to provide a peculiar balance of privacy combined with social amenity. The ever-increasing dynamics of work life has caused activities like dining previously associated with home-life to see a significant shift into the public realm. Translated into architectural and interior-design language, this simply means contemporary restaurant spaces, and buildings, have had to answer modern-day's impetus to provide unique retreats from hectic city life for longer hours and for a significantly larger variety of occasions. To set a wonderful example of interdisciplinary approach to architectural design as seen in restaurants, comes the Biko Restaurant in Mexico City - featured in today's pick. The concept for the restaurant's graphic interior is partly inspired by its chefs' affinity to experimenting with the opposition of tones (light/dark) and textures in their dishes. New York restaurant 'What Happens When' designed and curated by The Metrics Design Group creates an atmosphere that is as unconventional, dynamic and theatrical as its name - and New York City itself. Creators' explanation reveals that ''What Happens When' is a playground for food. It is a temporary restaurant installation that transforms every 30 days for 9 months, offering guests an ever-changing culinary, visual and sound experience.' Where will restaurants' evolution take them next and will they be able to maintain a balance between provocative new-age design and anticipated cosiness?