NuBel: A Cloud Garden in the Heart of Madrid

Paula Rosales' Award-Winning Restaurant Design at Reina Sofia Museum

When tasked with designing a restaurant under Jean Nouvel's iconic red ceiling at the Museum Reina Sofia, Paula Rosales envisioned a space that would be both sensual and feminine. More than just a decoration, Rosales designed a flexible fractal system to organize the space. The circle, a unifying geometrical form present in gastronomy, nature, and architecture, became the iterative structure of the design. It humanizes the space, creating a welcoming environment for everyone.

The restaurant's unique properties stem from the project's requirements. Rosales designed all the furniture, lighting, rugs, and elements of the restaurant to produce a unique experience based on the circle as a focal geometry. The lamps, like flowers in a garden, delimit small intimate circles with their lights, projected downwards to avoid reflections in the bright ceiling.

The furniture, designed to float above the ground surface, allows the heating and AC diffusers on the floor to function properly. The carpets, printed and cut in circles in Germany, are based on a digital file with a color design reminiscent of a watercolor painting. The lights, produced locally in Madrid, are made with lacquered steel and LED light bulbs. The existing granite surface was treated with painted circle patterns, and circle micro cement surfaces with watercolor-like colors.

The design's circular modulation is repeated at all scales and objects, starting with a 60cm diameter circle representing the space occupied by a person. From this module, the furniture, carpets, lights, and other elements were scaled, always relating to the human scale. The round shape of furniture, lights, and objects allows them to work as a system of fractals or cells that can be grouped or isolated, depending on the organ they are forming.

The project, which started in April 2016 as the winner entry at a competition organized by the National Museum of Modern Art Reina Sofia, was finished and opened to the public in October 2016. The design had to respond to a variety of situations while making it a comfortable place. It was awarded the Golden A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2017, a testament to Rosales' prodigy and wisdom in design.

In conclusion, NuBel is a testament to the power of design to transform a space. Paula Rosales' innovative use of circular forms and fractal systems has created a unique dining experience that is both functional and emotionally engaging. The design's success is a testament to Rosales' ability to blend art, architecture, and design in a way that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also practical and user-friendly.