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Barcelona’s most fascinating window

Il Giardinetto

By B Gallagher 13.03.15

On one of Barcelona’s city streets within the Sarrià Sant Gervasi neighbourhood, inserted within a nondescript crevice of a black painted brick façade lies one of its most fascinating display windows. A cleverly created microcosm of art, design, gastronomy and creativity that in its own humble manner manages to intrigue and delight passing pedestrians even if only for a fleeting moment. The façade belongs to Il Giardinetto, unquestionably one of the most iconic restaurants of the city founded by Leopoldo Pomés during the 1970s, a turbulent decade for Barcelona in many ways. The interior recreates a magic garden with an artificial representation of a forest glade, chestnut trees from the South of France where the diners are accommodated at tables beneath. A work of surrealist design that is unequalled anywhere.

Over the decades it became and still remains a meeting point in Barcelona for artists, architects, designers, writers .. and of course for lovers of Italian food (like mama used to make) together with numerous other delicacies sourced from the Mediterranean recipe book, a great musical selection and new cocktail creations. This meeting of art and gastronomy inspired a unique initiative to use bring both together within a series of temporal exhibitions, the idea came about as a way of celebrating the 35th anniversary of the restaurant but has kept going since.

  • Il Giardinetto

    Il Giardinetto por Il Giardinetto, OH! by Arquitectura-G

  • Il Giardinetto

    Hassel & Gretel Display Window

    Since 2009 Il Giardinetto has sponsored multiple artistic installations within its mini-display window. The first was put together by Fernando Salas, the renowned interior designer in May 2009. Every six weeks or so an invited artist, designer, photographer, architect, interior designer, or simply a friend of Il Giardinetto that feels inspired is invited to create an installation within the window with total creative freedom. To date there have been 36 installations created specifically from figures like; Martín Azúa, Sandra Tarruella Interioristas, Estudi Arola, Curro Claret, Marc Morro, Mucho, Llamazares Pomés, Miguel y Gonzalo Milá, Carlitos y Patricia, Meritxell Duran, Xavier Mañosa, Franc Aleu y Lekuona Studio, Retina y Retinette, Diego ramos, Oscar Tusquets, Cláudia Valsells, Nuria Arfa, Franc Aleu, Cláudia Vives Fierro, Arquitectura-G amongst others.

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    Sandra Tarruella Display Window

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    Claudia Valsells Display Window

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    Montse Campins Display Window

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    Carlitos y Patricia Display Window

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    Curro Claret Display Window

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    XNF Arquitectes Display Window

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    The facade of Il Giardinetto with the Arquitectura-G display window

    In September 2012, Il Giardinetto renovated the downstairs lobby area, opening a window and a bar at street level. The design was a collaboration between Ivan Llamazares and Max Pomes, in 2013 the project was nominated for an Interior Design FAD award. Back in 1974 Il Giardinetto, originally designed by the architects Alfonso Mila and Federico Correa, won a FAD Interior Design Award in that category.

  • Il Giardinetto
  • C. la Granada del Penedès, 28
  • 08006 Sant Gervasi-Galcvany
  • telf. 93 218 75 36
  • www.ilgiardinetto.es