The commitment of a locavore restaurant with products mainly sourced from its own market garden located in the Monts Lyonnais region appealed to us. The goal here was to translate this philosophy and commitment into the architecture and renovation of the space.

Located on the historic slopes of Croix Rousse, the restaurant in question was in very poor condition. Here, we inherited successive layers of the past and the history of this restaurant.

We first worked on the uses and circulation within this establishment on two levels. How to bring the kitchen, access, and the staircase leading to the upper floor up to code without dividing the spaces and losing valuable space for operation?

The new staircase is anchored to the existing stone arch and then spirals up, providing a seamless and continuous path to the upper floor. It reveals the open kitchen in the background, showcasing the chefs. On the ground floor, a wide corridor serves the counter and a bench on the left, while a high communal table on the right offers a convivial setting. Upstairs, benches line the perimeter of the room for more privacy. On the facade, these are lower, allowing them to be flush with the joinery and offering a wide panoramic view of Lyon.

The facade also needed renovation. The Burgundy stone was brought back to life through sandblasting, and the jointery was replaced. This emphasis on existing elements is also found inside: the existing stone arch and wooden beams are sandblasted and contribute to the natural and warm character of the space, as does the preserved parquet flooring on the upper floor.

"The vegetables and herbs come mainly from our field in the Monts du Lyonnais, entirely cultivated by hand in a permaculture approach."

We also wanted to give full prominence to natural and local materials: a base coat in earth-colored plaster mixed with straw grounds the project, at a height of 1 meter on the ground floor and 70 cm on the upper floor, creating backrests for the benches and the illusion of higher ceilings. This plaster extends into lime plaster on the upper part of the walls. Sound insulation on the ground floor is done with wood wool panels. A touch of color is added with ceramic stoneware tiles, highlighting the double height on either side of the first-floor walkway, complementing the ascent of the staircase to the first floor.

In terms of interior decoration, this quest for meaning continues, as the majority of the furniture is second-hand, recreating the atmosphere of an existing bistro. Custom-made terracotta light fixtures of various shapes and colors hang above the communal tables, emphasizing the high ceiling.

The jars filled with produce from the field contribute to this decoration, as do antique kitchen and farming utensils. Nothing here is accidental, and everything has a purpose.

The coherence of the entire space, made possible by the commitments of the various stakeholders, positions SEMO as an essential destination, both for its architecture and its gastronomy.