RIVER RESTAURANT
(FLORIDA)

Across from the City of Jacksonville, on the opposite shore of Saint John's river, is a clam-shaped roof that follows the tides around a a spit of land. As we get closer by driving around and over a bridge we see the roof wrapping around two, large, curved, concrete walls separating and defining the entrance. The large walls are textured with washed river-rock. The entrance is approached by a long ramp going around the perimeter of the largest of these walls. A waterfall meets us at the top of the ramp. Upon entering we see the uninterrupted ceiling of bending textured boards on edge continuing from the outside to and around the restaurant shaping the views towards the city. Upon entering we see an 18 foot long, majestically curved, cantilevered maitre-de counter of finely shaped laminated wood. Going to the left leads to the sunken cocktail lounge. The right leads to various dining levels that descend so everyone has a view. A large, round, fine-wood, salad bar centers the action just in front of the long, wooden, display counter of open broiling allowing the fragrance of cooked food to enhance the ambiance. A mixture of appropriately placed, round booths, tables, different dining levels, fabrics, and round planters are seemingly randomly placed, but organized around supporting poles. The atmosphere feels open and free..like being in the forest and also intimate..like a cluster of hidden rocks or flora in the forest, all at the same time.