Spanish flavour in the heart of the Big Apple

“Little Spain”, located in NYC’s Hudson Yards,  is more than just a taste of Spain in the middle of New York City. The innovative and revolutionary space is, without a doubt, a celebration of the “Spain Brand.” Displaying a commitment to its Spanish heritage, Cosentino has participated in this initiative from the beginning, using its surfaces to show the best and most innovative applications for professional, “made in Spain” hospitality.

With Mercado Little Spain, José Andrés, a famous Spanish chef, brought authentic Spanish cuisine to New York and created a space that reflects the country’s culture and tradition. It is a new type of space that blends sophistication with comfort, allowing diners to enjoy its main purpose: savoring the top-quality dishes from the kitchen. The design is a result of “three years of constant excitement, hardship, and creative bliss,” led by the architect Juli Capella, from the Capella García Arquitectura studio.

It was truly “a challenge to create not just a sample of Spanish cuisine, but also part of its vibrant culture,” says Capella. “When you design a space, you sell more than just food; there’s a cultural experience, an atmosphere, and an underlying focus on culture and art which permeates everything. In this era of globalization, what’s essential is a strict adherence to authenticity.”

Photo credit Miguel de GuzmanAccording to the architect, this project takes inspiration from three sources: markets, typical small Spanish towns, and the Spanish food itself. The architect states, “‘Little Spain’ is more than just a food court, market, or restaurant. Aesthetically, it could also be defined as a series of culturally-representative culinary stands or as a small town and main square where people get together to talk, celebrate, eat, and drink.” Moreover, the very color of the fruit, fish, paella, or sangria has been used to inspire the palette of hues and textures used in the project.

Work by artists such as Javier Mariscal, Oscar Mariné, Sergio Mora and Mikel Urmeneta is featured in the space, as well as graphic design by Lo Siento, thus bringing an authentic selection of Spanish creativity to New York.

Cosentino materials were an ideal fit for the space “because of their performance and because they’re a Spanish product,” says Capella. He continues, “Cosentino products are ideal for the following uses: Silestone for the bars in the stands, as well as for the wall cladding. Dekton, because of its resistance to erosion and its ability to withstand heat.” Its large format of vertical panels has also turned out to be key. “We had a range of colors and textures that were guaranteed to be resistant and reliable, which, in a place apt for traffic and wear and tear, were fundamental,” he says.

Santiago Alfonso, Vice President of Marketing and Communication for the Cosentino Group, is pleased “to collaborate once more with José Andrés on this impressive complex. It is a concept that combines tradition with a modern interpretation of our cuisine. All this serves as a meeting point for the most talented chefs, suppliers, designers, and artists in the country. Our products had to be there and, without a doubt, they help to improve the experience because of the design and the quality they provide.”

To this end, Cosentino supplied nearly 210 boards (over 7,500 square feet of material in total) of Dekton® and Silestone® products. These materials were used for decorative purposes as well, highlighting the versatility of Cosentino. A variety of shades of the ultra-compact Dekton® surface are featured in the design, including Entzo, Makai, Kelya, Aura 15, Fiord, Tundra, and Kairos, which are featured most predominantly in the space.  Meanwhile, Silestone®, the leading global brand of quartz surfaces, is displayed in a wide range of colors and finishes, including White Platinum, Calacatta Gold, Blanco City, Ariel, and Tigris Sand. Additionally, the market features a spectacular bar in Pearl Jasmine that is 3 cm thick.

But how were the different products all combined for a seamless design? Capella explains that “to design the 18 food and beverage stalls of Mercado Little Spain, we made a palette of materials, textures and colors that we tried to harmonize with each type of product. For the cured ham stand, reddish tones and rustic textures were used; for the fish stand, bluish tones and smooth shiny surfaces; and for the cake stand, colorful textures and materials were used.” In addition, the project has an exclusive room called A3 (Andrés, Adrià, Albert). The small space has “a table for only 10 people, entirely made of Dekton Kairos, including the wall, floor and the table/kitchen itself. It was an exercise in creating an integral mono-material capsule,” says Capella. Lastly, “The Eros model has a vibrant reddish tone which is very suitable for the tapas bar,” he adds.

Because of all of this, the final result of “Little Spain” is much more than bringing a bit of Spain to the heart of New York. It’s a “living organism” which now, New Yorkers and visitors alike can make their own.

Project Details:

Name: Mercado Little Spain

Location: 10 Hudson Yards, West 30th Street, NY

Total surface: 34445 Sq. Feet 

Opening date: March 15

Architecture Studio: Capella García Arquitectura

Promoted by: José Andrés, in collaboration with the Adrià brothers

Cosentino Materials:

Applications: Covers, decorative materials, bars, countertops

Material: Dekton® and Silestone®.

Colors:

• Dekton®: Entzo, Makai, Kelya, Aura 15, Fiord, Tundra, and Kairos.
• Silestone®: White Platinum, Calacatta Gold, Blanco City, Ariel, Tigris Sand and Pearl Jasmine.

Quantity: Over 7500 Sq. Feet 

Highlight of the project:

Spectacular 3 cm-thick bar in Silestone Pearl Jasmine.

CS Cosentino in Mercado Little Spain