ARCHITECTURAL FOCUS
Photographs : Kris Provoost the harvest . Alternatively , they can wander into the lawn , where picnics and a variety of events take place . Along the walkway are patios that become sitting-out areas complementing the lawn .
The clubhouse is a modernist double-floor building defined by ribbon windows . On the first floor , the walkway extends into the interior to define the circulation space . The main dining space faces the lawn . Through an operable front façade , the originally enclosed first floor becomes a semi-outdoor dining
space with extended terraces connected to the lawn for meals in a casual atmosphere . At the rear is the open kitchen , where the process of making dishes is transparent to everyone . On the second level , glass replaces the original façade to create an indoor area overlooking the lawn . The visitors find here a more intimate dining area , and the research space for experimentations on ingredients – sometimes unsuspected . The cooking school at the rear of this level allows all the visitors to share cooking skills and knowledge of the ingredients from the garden .
Another intervention to the building is the cylinder . It consolidates the front-of-house and back-of-house programs , including the staircases for the guests and the staff , a bar , a kitchen , and a machine room . Positioned at the rear – away from the front façade – the newly installed cylinder indicates the coexistence of the old and the new .
AIR ’ s fixtures and furniture have been designed by Andreu Carulla using recycled timber and plastic bottles ( HDPE ) sourced from a former art installation , as well as Styrofoam – commonly used in disposable food containers . These elements allude to the ethos of AIR to discover the potential and beauty in what is often perceived as waste .
With farming , picnic , wandering , cooking , learning , and dining simultaneously taking place at different locations , AIR is a campus where the conventional dining experience is challenged : rather than passive diners being served , the guests are active explorers of opportunities to eat well and have fun . A new and informal fine-dining culture is in the making in the creative platform .
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