Bar Raval Brings Tapas and Sculptural Design to Toronto

What makes a social space attractive? The atmosphere, details and sounds, aromas and laughs? Theseare all to be found at Bar Raval in Toronto, Canada. Designed by Canadian architects Partisans, themodern social space greets guests with a unique display of undulating mahogany lines. Imagined tohave people enjoy each other’s company while sitting, the ambitious project is defined by smooth linesthat invite to touch. It’s easy to lean against soft edges and feel your way along the texturedwalls and bar edge.

“Bar Raval is a 21st-century reinterpretation of Spanish Art Nouveau. The brainchild of celebratedCanadian chef Grant van Gameren and wunderkind mixologists Mike Webster and RobinGoodfellow, Raval introduces Toronto to the pintxo bar, a cornerstone of social and gastronomicculture in Basque Country.”

Spreading over 1,980 square feet, the sculptural Bar Raval encourages social interaction: “Raval’smolten quality fosters fluid circulation and close encounters, honoring the spirit of its Spanish pintxocounterparts.”

Nooks and crannies become part of the sinuous design. Mahogany stretches from the walls up to theceilings, where cut-outs showcase the complex ceiling design and bottles found their perfect decorplace. The dark color palette alongside gold infusions help create a sophisticated atmosphere, perfectfor socialization. Specializing in tapas but revealing a mix of modern and Nouveau design, Bar Ravalbrings a unique perspective on fun on Toronto’s bar scene.

A customized project, Bar Raval is infused with its owners’ personalities: “The bar’s design pays directhomage to the physicality of its three owners. The result: A series of three-dimensional tattooed“limbs” that enfold patrons in a warm mahogany embrace. Passers-by can also admire the artistry—the handcrafted steel latticework we designed to clad the front and side windows. But like vanGameren’s mouth-watering pinxtos, the filigree only offers a tantalizing taste of what lies within.”

We recently featured a fascinating bar area that was designed to become the focal point for thebartender’s intriguing cocktails, maybe you’d like to see how that design looks like and compare it towhat you know.