Basque Culinary Centre

Proof that the popularity of all things gastronomic continues to abound, the Basque Culinary Centre in Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain, is a glowing example of serious investment in the subject.

Designed by Spanish practice Vaumm Arkitektura, the five-storey building is home to the head office of the University and Research Innovation Centre for Gastronomic Science. The space further establishes the Basque area and its cuisine as a focal point for haute cuisine and gastronomic innovation.

The design is full of foodie references. A white and gold façade resembles a stack of plates, while a sloped roof plane doubles as a herb garden – seamlessly fusing form and function.

Located within a steep slope, the educational and research facility has been constructed in a U-shape, with an open-air courtyard of stepped terraces at its centre for meetings and socialisation. Unlike most multi-storey buildings, visitors arrive at the top levels, and descend down to the lower ones.

Vaumm Arkitektura