Barrios
Details
A FORMER TIRE SHOP BECOMES A WARM, HIGH-ENERGY RESTAURANT
PROJECT TYPE
Hospitality / Restaurant / Adaptive Reuse
LOCATION
Oklahoma City, OK
SIZE
5,384 SF
CLIENT
A Good Egg Dining Group
CONTRACTOR
Lingo Construction
collaborators
LAUD Studio, IMES Group
GARDNER TEAM
Jeremy Gardner, Zack Woods
Interiors: Anna McBroom
COMPLETED
2016
Barrios occupies the former tire-shop corner of the century-old Swanson's complex, turning an automotive service bay into a warm, high-energy restaurant. The original garage volume became the dining room and bar, with a patio designed to stay useful through most of the Oklahoma year.
Natural light, handmade glazed tile, and a mirrored back bar bring color into the room without losing the grit of the old building. Firewood storage becomes part of the composition rather than something to hide, and the open kitchen edge keeps food and movement visible. Beyond the restaurant, the project helped unlock the larger half-block by carving a pedestrian passage and courtyard through a collection of buildings that once had very little street frontage.