Manuela

Located on the corner of Wooster and Prince Street in SoHo, Manuela NYC combines contemporary art, local culture, and fresh cuisine within a warm, neighbourhood space. The restaurant focuses on thoughtful and honest cooking, showcasing exceptional ingredients that truly speak for themselves. The interiors reflect the thought-provoking themes of art, life, sustainability and ‘waste’.

Greenway Associates were the appointed Quantity Surveyors for this project, providing essential cost management and expertise to help bring this unique dining concept to fruition.

Ben McCarthy and Daniel Reid were the lead consultants on this project.

THE CONCEPT

Manuela celebrates the idea that art and life are inseparably intertwined. It was created by our esteemed client, Artfarm, and is named in honor of Manuela Wirth, co-founder of the Artfarm and Hauser & Wirth Gallery. Like its sister location in LA, Manuela NYC embodies a spirit of hospitality inspired by its namesake's renowned warmth and passion for freshly prepared cuisine.

Art is at the heart of Manuela. Guests will find dramatic site-specific commissioned works of art everywhere. Many of the art pieces are functional elements of the restaurant and bar and private dining room. They have been created by eight internationally renowned New York artists.

THE PROJECT

Early Stage Involvement was key to this project. In late 2022 during the concept stage of the project, our director Daniel Reid travelled to New York to survey the site and meet the client team. As we knew this project would entail unique elements and complex delivery programme, the early stage involvement was vital.

The site had formerly been a retail unit in a thriving community area in SoHo. It consisted of a basement and ground floor in a shell and core condition (or “core and shell” as the Americans like to say!)

The biggest challenge was known from the start. With art at its heart, the Artfarm team commissioned 8 artists to create and deliver a curated catalogue of site-specific artwork over a period of 18 months. This included everything from wall murals, curtains, tables, lighting, and the entire bar. The inclusion of so much site-specific art has an unavoidable effect on the programme of a project. Often, the entire site would need to be shut down, to allow artists the access and time they needed to install, without builders, noise and dust everywhere!

A good example is the intricate and meaningful bar and interwoven chandelier, by Mika Rottenberg. The installation consists of a dramatic chandelier made from vines that interweave and connect to colourfully lit mushroom ‘orbs’. Each vine was harvested by hand from the forests in Upstate New York, where the invasive vines choke native trees. Each harvested vine was then hand carved to fit the chandelier. Every mushroom orb was fabricated from waste plastics that were collected from New York City streets. The bar and bar panels are made from recycled plastic, re-fabricated to be fit for purpose. In an inspired touch, the artists playfully added colours into the plastic bar, to make it seem that the bar is reflecting the chandeliers lights. In fact, the whole installation is made up of over a tonne of plastic waste! The space and artwork asks its guests to reconsider the idea of waste, and our relationship to it.

(Interestingly, the restaurant is also unique in Manhattan for its in-house composter, 'The Rocket,' a system that turns daily food waste into nutrient-rich compost. Guests can even visit the kitchen to see this innovative process in action!)

Considerable basebuild elements were also required, including installation of drainage systems suitable for a restaurant, cutting slabs out for staircases, the formation of an elevator shaft and connection of kitchen extraction units to the roof, particularly to accommodate what would become an open-fire grill and hearth.

THE TEAM

Russell Sage Studios were responsible for the design at Manuela NYC. The restaurant’s interiors have been thoughtfully designed with a strong emphasis on sustainability, using eco-friendly finishes, furniture, and lighting.

The timber and concrete elements are original, minimally processed, and treated with non-toxic sealant, while the plaster walls are crafted from unfired natural clays and minerals, allowing for a breathable finish.

All lighting and textiles, including leather, are sourced from vintage, recycled materials or offcuts. In designing Manuela, the inspiration stemmed from the rich cultural tapestry of SoHo, aiming to create a space that honors the authenticity of the food while fostering community through the spirit of sharing.

The build was complex and required strong coordination between Architect Mancini Duffy and Contractor JRM Construction Management.  The project management was undertaken by Mr. Ali Mohamedi from the Carlyle Development Group.

All of the teams coordinated well to enable the true artists to transform the space into what it is today.