Clap Studio’s restaurant design transports guests to a sunset dinner on the beach

Isn't there something so liberating and relaxing about dining on the beach during sunset with your loved ones? Valencia-based design firm Clap Studio's aim was to bring that exact sentiment to their new project—Baovan restaurant. Five partners of an artisanal, bao focused food truck reached out to award-winning Clap Studio to conceptualise the interiors of their first brick and mortar restaurant in Valencia, Spain. Clap Studio crafted an immersive restaurant design that transports visitors to a unique sunset setting on a beach. The focal point of the interiors of the eatery is a half-moon-shaped screen, which is programmed to replicate the changing colours of a sunset. This new restaurant is located in a modernist building in Valencia's Ruzafa neighbourhood. The eatery exhibits a neon colour palette and one-of-a-kind light installations that add a fun and playful vibe to the space.

The Baovan restaurant does not showcase any particular design aesthetic. Instead, the interior design of the space is a result of Clap Studio's creative process and Baovan’s brand philosophy. "Our work reflects three key values—simplicity, elegance and playfulness. Once we start a project, we always try to simplify and reduce the client’s brand philosophy in shapes, colours and materials. At Baovan, the colours transport visitors to different spaces in nature, and the shapes help create a unifying design. With every project, we try to connect with the user, by making them feel that they are experiencing something different and new. At Baovan, our half moon screen is always changing its colours, and showing a dynamic sunset atmosphere," mentions ​​Àngela Montagud, Director at Clap Studio.

The Baovan food truck was launched during the coronavirus pandemic by five founders who had extensively travelled together in Asia, America and Africa. Their brand's ethos is 'beers, beach and baos', which is a reflection of their lifestyle. With the new restaurant, the owners desired a space that reflected this same brand spirit. Keeping this in mind, Clap Studio designed an aesthetically pleasing space that is evocative of a magical sunset setting on a tranquil beach.

Established in 2017 by Jordi Iranzo and Àngela Montagud, Clap Studio's goal is to help brands and institutions connect with their customers through unforgettable experiences. "We work for brands and institutions creating products and interiors that fit their essence. Therefore, we are very aware of the need to create experiences that represent the values of the brand, to really connect with the final user in the most honest way possible. Baovan is a brand with a defined tagline of 'beach, beers and baos'. It is a brand created by five partners who love surfing, travelling and going on different adventures. This inspired us to create an interior reminiscent of a sunset on the beach. Our goal was to transport the user to a beach, from where to watch the sunset and enjoy some handmade baos,” adds Montagud.

This new restaurant is divided into three distinct areas that the visitor discovers as he or she enters the space. From the outside, guests discover 'forest', which is a green porch full of ropes that fall from the ceiling. This space is reminiscent of dense vegetation in a verdant forest. Once the visitor crosses the lush green forest, and enters the restaurant, he discovers the secret beach and its majestic sunset. Inside the eatery, one side is evocative of a beach and features a sandy peach colour, and the other mimics the ocean with a deep blue hue. 

The interiors of the Baovan restaurant showcase a constant duality of colours that gives the impression of taking guests in and out of the ocean. A screen in the shape of a half-moon grabs the visitor’s attention immediately. Conceptualised by Vitamin Studio, the screen recreates the hues of a sunset, and is programmed to match its duration to a typical dinner service. On the ceiling, wavy fabric panels create rolling clouds that filter the light from the sunset, which is in constant movement. This light installation helps create a positive and upbeat ambiance in the restaurant.

"The Baovan restaurant's façade and porch features the green colour of the brand. When you enter, there is a duality of colours, blue and peach, with the aim of taking the visitor to a beach. The visitor can eat in the water or out on the sand. We designed the whole concept as one, even if there are three different zones at the restaurant. We really enjoyed designing the whole experience, and thinking about the user experience from the outside to the interior of the space," mentions Montagud.

Furthermore, the sunset light installation is not only visually appealing, it is a practical solution as well. "The shape of the space was a challenge, as we were faced with a narrow, elongated floor plan with no natural light. We decided to transform the restaurant's lack of natural light into a positive feature. We designed an immersive interior that makes guests feel as if they have stumbled across a secret beach during sunset. In this way, we invite the user to enter and interact with the interiors in their own way," adds Montagud.

The Baovan restaurant comprises one more section at its rear—a private dining area for 10 people. The idea of this space is to give visitors the impression of dining by moonlight. Moreover, circular and crescent shapes are repeated throughout the restaurant. These are inspired by the form of the eatery’s bao bread. The shape of an open bao bread is featured in the windows that connect the exterior to the interior, in the lighting installations, and even in the chairs that were designed exclusively for the restaurant by Clap Studio. Therefore, the design firm successfully transports guests to a serene beach setting with the colours and shapes used in the space.

Project Details

Name: Baovan Restaurant
Location: Carrer del Pintor Salvador Abril, 22, 46005 València, Valencia, Spain
Typology: Restaurant
Architect and Interior Design: Clap Studio
Client: Baovan
Light Installation: Vitamin Studio