SUSHISAMBA arrives in Edinburgh
- Project name
- SUSHISAMBA, Edinburgh
- Project sector
- Hospitality
- Completion date
- 08/05/24
- Client
- Jestico + Whiles
Eusebio's Waves: From Lisbon to Rio to Edinburgh.
Eusebio Pinheiro Furtado, a decorated veteran of the Portuguese Civil Wars, left a unique legacy beyond his military service. As Governor of the Castle of São Jorge in Lisbon, he designed the iconic cobblestone pavement, or calçada, of Rossio Square. This striking pattern, meant to evoke the meeting of the Tagus River and the Atlantic Ocean, became known as “Mar Largo” or “Wide Sea.”
Furtado's calçada design would ripple far beyond Lisbon, most notably to Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro.
In 1905, Lisbon sent 36 calceteiros (cobblers) and a shipment of cobblestones to Brazil, aiding Mayor Pereira Passos' modernisation efforts. The resulting calçada along Avenida Atlântica became a symbol of Rio, especially after landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx expanded and reimagined the pattern in the 1970s by lengthening the curves and changing the orientation of the wave design to make it parallel to the sea.
Centuries later, this Portuguese tradition found a new home in Edinburgh. Jestico + Whiles, designers of W Edinburgh’s SUSHISAMBA restaurant, created a design directly inspired by the distinctive calçada, that was then expertly realised by Solus, in collaboration with Tilecraft.
Located in the St James Quarter, the W Edinburgh offers stunning views, an elegant speakeasy, and SUSHISAMBA Edinburgh - a restaurant which celebrates Nikkei cuisine.
Nikkei cuisine, arising from Japanese emigrants adapting their culinary traditions to new ingredients, is a perfect example of cultural fusion. In Edinburgh, the food is presented alongside a recreation of Burle Marx's wave pattern, transporting a part of Brazil’s Carnival city to the heart of Scotland's Festival city.
“I love the idea that, especially during the many festivals, SUSHISAMBA can capture something of the spirit and energy of the Rio Carnival and bring it across the Atlantic to Edinburgh,” says James Dilley of Jestico + Whiles. “And while the weather might be different, both cities definitely know how to host a festival!”
SUSHISAMBA's presence in cities like Las Vegas, London, Dubai, and now Edinburgh, underscores its commitment to cultural exchange through food. The journey of the calçada - from Lisbon to Rio, and then back across the Atlantic to Edinburgh, accompanied by Japanese cuisine with a South American twist - is a delicious story of interconnectedness. It's a reminder that even the simplest patterns, like those in cobblestones, can carry rich histories and lead to unexpected culinary adventures.
CREDIT
- Interior Designer / Architect
Jestico + Whiles
- Tiling Contractor
Tilecraft
- Photography
Ed Reeve and Marriott International Ltd