Danish designer David Thulstrup has completed the TimeSpirit restaurant inside RSHP’s Macallan distillery building in Scotland.
Named TimeSpirit, the 24-seat restaurant was created to celebrate The Macallan’s 200th year anniversary and is the latest addition to their distillery completed in 2018 by British architecture studio RSHP.
The space, centred around an open kitchen, consists of two dining areas – an oval wine cellar and a private dining room – overlooking the hills of the Speyside estate.
Local and natural materials feature throughout the space, forging a connection to the surrounding Scottish landscape, the whisky manufacturing process and the restaurant’s Spanish cuisine by El Celler de Can Roca.
“My goal was to create a timeless design which honours the place and reflected their collaboration with El Celler de Can Roca,” Thulstrup told Dezeen.
Oak was used to create bespoke dining booths and waiter stations inspired by sherry-seasoned whisky casks, which will develop a patina over time.
“The oak dining booths were designed to create a sense of focus and comfort to the table, we felt it was important to have these spaces where you can be immersed into the experience,” said Thulstrup.
Slate, a traditional Scottish building material, features in the open kitchen and Albarez stone from Jerez clads the curved walls of the wine cellar, connecting to The Macallan’s whisky-cask suppliers based in Jerez, southern Spain.
“I believe a lot of value lies in local and natural materials,” said Thulstrup. “Local materials connect to the place, while natural materials reveal age, and personally I think, feels more luxurious
“They are also more honest, and I think that is something we need more of today,” he continued.
Tables and chairs from Thulstrup’s ARV furniture collection feature throughout the space, originally designed for the Noma restaurant in Copenhagen.
“The furnishings were selected for both their beauty and durability, ensuring that the restaurant’s timeless design will last for decades,” said Thulstrup.
Hanging aluminium mesh panels enclose and divide the dining space improving the acoustic quality of the room and providing privacy.
“The panels were designed with both functionality and aesthetics in mind, allowing for views into the distillery while subtly creating intimate sections within the open layout,” said Thulstrup.
Other projects featured on Dezeen by Thulstrup include a 19th-century Copenhagen warehouse and Ikoyi restaurant in London.
Photography by Robert Rieger.
