The core mission behind Gallina restaurant was to create more than just a conventional restaurant. This is a platform that allows the owner and collector Philippos Tsangrides to share his artistic vision, travel experiences, aesthetic qualities, sensitivity, and culinary culture with a special audience. There is a clear intention to offer the visitor the experience of being an active user and fully immersed in the fusion of art, design, and gastronomy. The architecture studio LOT office for architecture and the sibling design studio Objects of Common Interest sophisticatedly reflected all the above values and ideas and translated them into tangible forms, materials, and textures.

The 105 -square-meter restaurant, Gallina has a capacity of 38 people. The main high-ceiling dining hall is located on the ground level and provides various seating experiences to the visitor; the banquette area at the entrance combined with custom-made marble tables and chairs along with the bar and an open kitchen in the back. At first glance, the material that seems to dominate the space is a sweet colored wood which gives the space a cozy and intimate sense. As you gaze around the space, you realize that various and more brutal materials are also incorporated; stainless steel and marble have been seamlessly absorbed by the softness of wood.

For the collector and restaurant owner, the aim of this space was to combine exquisite art and design with exceptional food and wine. The chairs, designed by the design studio Objects of Common Interest, boast an alluring composition of stainless steel and a gel cushion, offering a soft and surprising texture. The soft but solid gel is a material that Objects of Common Interest love to use and can also be found in a bigger mass at the iconic metamorphic rock stools. The restaurant’s focal point is the sublime custom tube light column created by Objects of Common Interest, which extends to the ceiling. Its design and position irresistibly draw your gaze from all directions, even from the restaurant’s exterior. A hand-knotted wool and silk tapestry by the established artist Jannis Varelas graces the wall in front of the light column. The plethora of colors and meticulousness in design make it a centerpiece in the space. The combination of these two central elements, accents a sense of warmth and comfort in the space which are also very well complemented by the ambient lighting. Map Design Studio carefully curated the lighting of the space; smaller pendant light fixtures by On.entropy and wall sconces designed by Charlotte Perriand create an atmospheric and dramatic experience. The floor is covered with a mosaic of various Greek marble pieces and ceramic custom tiles by the artist Vasilis Papageorgiou.

The stainless-steel staircase in the back creates a unique geometry in the space and leads the visitor to a more secluded mezzanine, where a wine-tasting journey awaits. Wooden wine display walls with an extensive wine collection are the central element of the space. The wine experience also continues to the basement. As you descend the stairs, the room gives off the impression of entering a wooden tunnel which is lit by a 90-degree tube light as a continuation of the tube light column on the ground floor.

Architecture and interior design: LOT office for architecture

Design: Objects of Common Interest

Site Specific Special Projects: Objects of Common Interest, On.entropy, Vassilis Papageorgiou

Project Leader: Anastasia Mangouta

Project Team: Leonidas Trampoukis, Eleni Petaloti, Anastasia Mangouta, Zoi Eleftheriadi, Natalia Sotirchou, Ariadne Tzika, Savina Onisiforou

Constructor: DEVELCO. Construction and Development

Lighting Design: Map Design Studio

Owner: Philippos Tsangrides

Total Built Area: 105 m²

Address: Falirou 59, 11742, Athens

Photography: ÁYLO STUDIO, Dimitris Andritsos & Myrto Karagiannidou