the Commune Social in Shanghai

The Commune Social located at the Design Republic Commune is a new tapas restaurant designed by Neri&Hu Design and Research Office of Shanghai. The food concept is a fresh and modern take on Spanish tapas, where the small dishes served are refined interpretations of the tapas genre with an international twist. The design concept of the space is to emphasize the “sharing” idea of eating tapas, and the four distinct areas in the restaurant (tapas bar, dining room, dessert bar, and the secret bar) are meant to provide different flavors and ingredients for diners to “share”, like they do the food. The diners are encouraged to move from having drinks at the Secret Bar to the tapas bar or the dining room for dinner, then end up at the Dessert Bar to finish the meal. Each room serves something different, and each room evokes a different atmosphere.

The four adjoining rooms provide also a communal and social aspect that is in the original spatial concept of the Social restaurant group. Materials such as raw iron, reclaimed wood, unfinished concrete, and exposed bricks all work together to form a tapestry of texture and patterns. While all other spaces take on a rustic industrial rawness, the dessert bar juxtaposes its clinical whiteness against the others, equipped with a full accoutrement of custom light ensemble that reminds one of the dentist clinic. The moving feasting idea is a way for diners to be active in the restaurant, and engage in social activities while dining. Read extensive reviews here and here, and this one here with lots of photographs.