Spotlight: Comedor Restaurant, 2021 GRAY Awards Finalist

A closer look at Comedor Restaurant, one of five finalists in the 2021 GRAY Awards Commercial Architecture category.

Comedor Restaurant

Comedor, a modern Mexican restaurant in downtown Austin, establishes an urban sanctuary on a busy intersection in the city's central business district. Designed by Seattle's Olson Kundig, the new building, with its eye-catching light-box structure, revitalizes a former surface parking lot into a sophisticated design destination that blends industrial features with a clean, modern aesthetic.

A façade of dark brick interspersed with glass glows at night, grabbing attention from the street while screening interior spaces from direct view. A discreet entrance on the south side of the building opens to a glass-wrapped, double-height dining space, where candlelight and a tonal material palette of steel, wood, and concrete continues the modern presence established by its exterior.

Comedor Restaurant in Austin Texas. Commercial architecture by Olson Kundig

The interior dining space adjoins to the courtyard through four retractable guillotine window walls. Operated via manual hand cranks, the windows allow Comedor to open completely to the outdoors and facilitate a flow between indoor and outdoor spaces. This flexibility ensures that guests can experience Austin’s warm, sunny weather while providing a protected interior refuge during the hottest days.