Hospitality SERIES  •  Project FEATURE

With poetic sensitivity and a deep reading of place, Bordo emerges as a project that transcends gastronomic functionality to become an emotional journey into the heart of wine. Each space is shaped as a constructed metaphor, guiding visitors from the terroir to the glass.

Bordo begins as a commercial renovation that avoids obvious gestures and instead embraces a sophisticated interpretation of the winemaking process. Paolini Arquitectos conceives architecture not merely as a container, but as a language capable of narrating, without words, the essence of the vine. The proposal is fully articulated from a conceptual intention that invites every diner to experience, even unconsciously, the story a wine travels before becoming the companion to a dish crafted by acclaimed chef Facundo Kelemen. Architecture thus becomes a sensory narrative that enhances the gastronomic experience. The spatial narrative begins with Earth, the element that shapes both the entry sequence and the main dining room. Here, the selection of noble materials—terracotta, dark woods, stone surfaces—creates a tactile and visual threshold that evokes the soil where vines take root. The entrance feels like a passage through geological layers, a quiet preparation for the journey the project proposes. The atmosphere is intimate and grounded, with warm dimness that encourages guests to slow down and connect with the materiality of origin.

"The experience at Bordo celebrates origin and process, reminding us that every glass is a journey through the Earth, the light, and the time that shape wine."

The Sun, the second element, materializes in the private cellar, an almost ceremonial space honoring the maturation of wine. Light takes center stage here: warm, concentrated, carefully directed to suggest the energy that gives life, color, and structure to what rests within the bottles. The space feels like a contemporary sanctuary, where stillness becomes part of the experience. The lighting accentuates the room’s geometry and deep tones, creating a microclimate ideal for contemplation, aging, and intimacy.

Water appears across the ceilings through a subtle and elegant gesture. Paolini Arquitectos introduces dynamic surfaces, undulating textures, and elements that evoke fluidity and movement. This ethereal, shifting presence contrasts with the solidity of Earth without destabilizing it; instead, it balances it. Water recalls the importance of hydrology in the terroir and offers a visual rhythm that softens the atmosphere, generating an enveloping spatial continuity. It becomes a poetic expression of suspended lightness.

"In every detail, the architecture honors winemaking tradition, inviting diners to enjoy an encounter where materiality, history, and flavor intertwine with natural elegance."

The journey culminates with Air, expressed in the Bar area, where the atmosphere becomes celebratory. Here, design releases the gastronomic experience into a social environment enlivened by music, conversation, and vibrancy. If the cellar invites introspection, the bar encourages openness. Air is materialized through lighter lines, polished surfaces, and a spatial layout that fosters interaction. It is a lively ending that completes the sequence of elements and gives shape to the process of tasting.

The intervention faced the challenge of working within an existing old house, whose relationship with the city needed to be reactivated. The response was to design an “expanded sidewalk,” transforming the exterior terrace into an extension of the urban realm. This area offers a distinct menu and seamlessly integrates with the movement of the street, generating a fluid dialogue between inside and outside. The terrace functions as a social breathing space, where architecture opens toward the community and reclaims the symbolic value of the sidewalk as a place of encounter.

The facade, clad in a deep Bordo tone, synthesizes the chromatic richness of wine and its enveloping character. Pure lines, refined planes, and noble materials create a sober yet striking presence. The crowning gesture—featuring a “tongue” element and golden ornaments—subtly references premium wine labels, reinforcing the restaurant’s identity as a refined product. The expression avoids literalism and instead interprets the aesthetics of wine through a contemporary sensitivity.

Inside, the layout is organized around three conceptual nodes—the Cellar, the Main Dining Room, and the Bar—that frame the true protagonist: the pairing between food and wine. Every spatial decision, from tectonics to the chromatic palette, reflects on the essence of the winemaking process. In my view, Bordó’s greatest strength lies in its ability to unite poetry and function, creating an architecture where narrative does not impose itself but harmoniously accompanies the experience. The project demonstrates that a restaurant can be far more than a setting for cuisine: it can be an encounter that, without excess, lingers in the visitor’s sensory memory.