Cabinet Restaurant & Bar

The restoration sought to preserve the building's original character while introducing carefully considered contemporary interventions.

Throughout the reconstruction, the historic brick façade, tower, timber staircase, and numerous architectural details were carefully restored. Existing brickwork was revealed throughout the interior, reinforcing the identity by which the building has long been recognized within the local community.

Rather than correcting every imperfection, the project embraced the building's existing proportions and structural character, allowing its history to remain visible within the renewed architectural composition.

Cabinet is organized across three levels, each maintaining a thematic consistency that draws from a colonial and Soviet aesthetic.

The first floor accommodates the main public functions of the restaurant. Visitors arrive through the entrance hall, where a host station provides orientation and directs guests to the different floors of the complex. The project reinterprets the restrained material palette and functional character of Soviet office interiors, translating them into a contemporary hospitality environment. The staircase was restored with close attention to its original craftsmanship and detailing; its architectural presence continues to define the interior, becoming the central element that brings the surrounding spaces together.

The second floor features an additional lounge centered around a fireplace, complemented by a dedicated DJ booth that supports the restaurant's evening atmosphere.

The third floor opens onto a rooftop terrace created by replacing the original sloped metal roof of the brick house. The new outdoor space offers comfortable seating and panoramic views over Dilijan's forest landscape.

The final level introduces an interactive office inspired by Soviet administrative workplaces. Here, visitors can write notes, explore the original setting, and become part of the story behind Cabinet.

Seating totals 302 across the complex: 23 on the ground floor, 53 on the first floor, 56 on the rooftop, 72 on the pergola, 70 in the garden, 24 in the pavilions, and 4 in the tower.

The intervention extends beyond the restoration of the main building to create a larger hospitality complex. A new service wing accommodates the kitchen and technical spaces, while an architectural bridge connects the building to the forest. The project also introduces three private pavilions and an 80-seat pergola with a retractable roof. To make bread-making and barbecue part of the guest experience, we designed a dedicated baking station and BBQ pavilion where the process becomes visible, allowing visitors to observe the craft as it unfolds.

We also redesigned more than 3,400 m² of landscape, introducing a children's playground, pedestrian paths, natural stone paving, custom landscape lighting, extensive planting, and a variety of intimate seating areas distributed throughout the site. The intervention transformed the outdoor environment into a cohesive extension of the architectural experience.

The interior design continues the dialogue between heritage and contemporary hospitality.

Furniture, lighting, and custom-designed elements were selected as individual architectural objects that complement the existing structure rather than imitate historical ornamentation. At the center of the composition is a five-metre-long custom-designed chandelier.

The first floor preserves the building's historic character through exposed brick walls and restored timber elements, complemented by contemporary furniture and lighting. The reception establishes a clear and welcoming entrance to the restaurant.

The floor is organized around the bar, which forms the social center of the restaurant. Set against preserved brick walls, exposed structural elements, and fanera paneling, the bar combines wood and stainless steel with subtly integrated lighting, introducing a contemporary layer within the historic fabric. A continuous red floor connects the different seating areas, while an elevation drawing of the bar reveals the material composition and lighting strategy behind this central architectural element.

The second floor builds upon the existing structure rather than replacing it. Original brickwork, timber beams, and generous openings become the primary architectural elements, while new insertions are deliberately restrained. A series of interconnected seating areas accommodates different ways of gathering, from informal conversations to larger dining groups.

The floor houses the primary dining area, where the interior material language continues with greater emphasis on surface continuity and enclosure. Fanera is used extensively to define wall and ceiling planes, while brick and smooth plaster introduce additional layers of tactility. The repeated use of cornices maintains visual alignment with the floor below, establishing a formal coherence across levels.

The third floor introduces a subtle shift in tone as it connects to the rooftop terrace. Finishes are lighter, and the material palette becomes more minimal, reflecting a transition from enclosed space to exterior exposure.

The rooftop terrace offers a direct engagement with the surrounding landscape. Designed as an open-air seating area, it incorporates weather-resistant materials such as treated wood, metal, and stone. The original brick perimeter remains partially visible, preserving continuity with the architecture below.

At the top of the tower, an interactive "Cabinet" table introduces the interactive workplace where visitors can write notes, explore the original setting, and become part of the story behind Cabinet.

The interactive workplace where visitors can write notes, explore the original setting, and become part of the story behind Cabinet.

The design of the pavilion structures is rooted in the site's vernacular logic. Their spatial and formal strategy draws directly from the porch of a pre-existing brick house on the property. The porch motif has been reinterpreted as an open, transparent, and contemporary architectural element, preserving its original proportions and spirit.

The layout is designed to accommodate both individual and group seating arrangements, adaptable to different dining formats and modes of use.