Mansura Restaurant, Tel Aviv-Jaffa

South to the city center, in the rapidly evolving area of Salame street, an old building's ground floor is a vivid example of urban evolution in motion;  What once consisted of an old auto repair shop, then turned into a plant and flower shop, was now picked by the crew behind Mansura, as the desired location for their restaurant.
After breaking down all the small partitions within the space; High ceilings divided by beams along the length and breadth, concrete floors, and corrugated metal curtains were the elements left as the initial canvas for the design process. 
The bar was the first and foremost segment to be figured out, for it had to act as the linking element between the kitchen and the diners. Once it was positioned as a semi-circular curve, the room enwrapped around it creating various seating areas.
The interiors unravel an ambiance that is a synthesis between old and crude, with contemporary and neat;  An iris blue metal grid covers the walls leading from the entrance all the way to the kitchen's window and forms the bar display. The grid composes a linear backdrop for plants and neon-like light tubes- a repeating element in different variations, throughout the restaurant's space. This tidy facade is contrasted by the bare walls from across the room- an exposed silicate brick wall and a peeling plaster wall, on which again,neon-like light tubes, are inlaid with brass details, above a seating area.
The bar's oval form is emphasized by a hovering curve made of light tubes- this time, elongated and hung from the exposed cable trays, by woven grey ropes and brass joints, suspended above the bar's Udaipur green marble surface. These frosty white light tubes with brass joints and details, were all custom designed by Lighting designer, Naama Hofman, especially for the location and in collaboration with This is IT. Restored wood school chairs and benches and old 'Kibbutz' blush Formica tables, along with marble tables, black lacquered tables and black modernist chairs, create again a dialogue of old and nostalgic with polished and new.
 In the restroom area, berry red locally produced Terrazzo tiles intersect with Hofman's hand-made  "Light Object 003", a fluorescent lighting panel with an acrylic base, this mélange accentuates contrasts between traditional crafts and contemporary ones.

Year: 2017
Size: 150 sqm

Photography:
Matan Katz