They count Belltown's Flying Fish and El Gaucho restaurants as both design and market successes. A study in mood contrasts, both have been widely published and have gained popularity since opening. Arellano and Christophides are life-long Seattleites, and their rigorous, architectural approach to design fits Seattle's reserved sophistication. Solid blocks of painstakingly chosen color reflect warmth and coolness from the high walls of Flying Fish. Tables on two levels offer a range of seating options and expansive interior or exterior views.
Lighting is at the top of the list.
It's not just in the eyes. The mood is magically heightened at El Gaucho, a longstanding Seattle restaurant which has been relocated and recreated in the old Seaman's Hall. To prepare for the project, Arellano and Christophides watched old movies from the 1940s and 1950s, looking for cues about mood, space and behavior. The result is a subtle but dramatic space, where circulating, standing and even just sitting are all ways to participate in the architecture. Changing floor levels and ramps are lit from the floor, and seating might be in sunken booths or on rounded, raised platforms.