Hard Rock Cafe Barcelona

Gone is the flying Cadillac which once dominated the cafe and so is the old dark wood and brass interior which was once so typical of the early Hard Rock venues around the world.  It has been replaced by a radically new and contemporary interpretation but it is still 100% Hard Rock from end to end.  Memorabilia display has been transformed with built-in, museum standard cabinets throughout the venue.  Memorabilia lighting by our design partners, Techical Arts, includes new LED tape lighting on the back of the guitar necks such that the priceless instruments apear to ‘float’ in their cases.  In fact, the memorabilia is all new and now includes instruments and clothing from Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Keith Richards and Madonna to name but a few.

The stage (below) which was previously tucked away on one side of the cafe, has been moved to the centre of the venue directly behind the central island bar which remains the focal point of the space. One of the biggest changes is in the design of the ceiling. New ‘Barrisol’ ceiling rafts stretch from the back of the stage (where they form a projection screen showing music videos or as a backdrop to live performances) over the bar and to the entrance. These are flanked by timber rafts (actually of ‘Amtico’ planks) which continue down the walls and across the floor to signpost the main circulation routes into the restaurant. Over the bar, a lighting feature of ‘Tom Dixon Mirror Ball’ fittings mark the centre of the venue.

The clean lines of the interior were inspired by the superyachts which flock to the Catalunian Capital every summer. High gloss white surfaces (granites, Barrisol and high-build sprayed acrylic) contrast with dark hardwoods. Corners are softened with gentle curves. Stainless steel is used extensively to frame openings, for new balustrades, signage and memorabilia cabinets. Unusually, it was decided that in Barcelona, only one colour would be used – red. This is used throughout the leathers and fabrics chosen for the furniture and, for the first time, in all the memorabilia cabinets and frames. It is even carried into the restrooms where feature walls of red tiling incorporate some very unusual lighting.

Red is also dominant in the two Rock Shops which frame the main entrance from the Placa Catalunya.  These are amongst the busiest Rock Shops in the world and get extremely crowded in high season. Consequently, these have been completely remodeled to improve access to merchandise.  New POS counters built entirely of white ‘Corian’ have been designed for the project which incorporate the Hard Rock ‘mantras’ – “Love All, Serve All” and “all is One”.  The words are routed into the rear face of the counter-front Corian and then back-lit with warm white LED.  When illuminated, the words appear on the counter fronts.  When the lighting is off, the words completely disappear.

Externally, the old polished brass entrance screen has been replaced with a new stainless steel storefront incorporating three interlinked video screens which are visible from across the Placa Catalunya.  The external granite facades have been restored to their original form having been much altered in recent decades and all external signage has also been replaced.  A new side entrance linking to a large new external terrace was also introduced allowing the total capacity of the cafe to increase significantly during the busy summer months.  The main cookline in the kitchen was also extended to cope with the extra capacity.