Tavaru Restaurant & Bar / ADR

Architects: ADR
Year: 2014
Photographs: ADR, Archive ADR
Main Contractors: Techo, Kontis Praha s.r.o., Aima Construction Company Pvt. Ltd., GAST-PRO s.r.o., a.s.
Project Team: A. Petr Kolar, A. Ales Lapka
Co-Author: Ivo Bartonek, Anna Vildova
City: Noonu Atoll
Country: Maldives

Tavaru Restaurant & Bar, designed by ADR in the Maldives, offers a distinctive dining experience that merges architecture with East Asian cuisine and a premium wine collection. This 23-meter-high structure stands out with its modern and futuristic design, contrasting with traditional island architecture. The use of reinforced concrete and innovative construction techniques accommodates the region’s hydro-geological challenges. The building’s spiraling console staircase and semi-transparent grey curtain façade create a striking visual identity. Inside, the lower levels house a wine cellar, while the restaurant and lounge on the top floor provide panoramic views, a rarity in the Maldives.

The building is designed to seamlessly merge multiple expectations. It stands out as unique within the Maldives, offering visitors experiences unavailable elsewhere in the region. Its architecture distinguishes it from other structures on the island, showcasing a modern, futuristic, and refined yet ‘raw’ aesthetic.

Furthermore, the building will establish an ideal environment and micro-climate for storing and showcasing an exceptional collection of the world’s finest wine vintages, paired with remarkable East Asian experiential cuisine. The focus is not on quantity, but on achieving the highest possible quality, aligning with the ‘Private Moments’ philosophy.

The primary architectural challenge was achieving a harmonious integration with the island’s other buildings while preserving a clear sense of contrast and tension.

A significant technical challenge involved resolving the structural foundations and constructing a high-rise building within the island’s complex hydro-geological conditions. An even greater difficulty was planning the construction of this unique structure, which innovatively combines traditional local building methods with techniques and materials characteristic of modern European construction.

Unlike the other buildings on the island, which follow the traditional ‘Tavaru’ style, this structure stands out due to its 23-meter height and unique construction, dominating the island’s skyline. Rather than using traditional natural materials, the building features a reinforced concrete monolith that functions as a bearing tube, around which a spiraling console staircase, composed of individual prefabricated steps, is constructed.

The building’s external perimeter is covered by a light grey semi-transparent curtain. The wine cellar occupies the two lower floors, while the remaining levels house the restaurant facilities and the dining area. The top floor features a lounge offering a panoramic view of the entire island, the only such view available in all of the Maldives.