Home to Amazon’s headquarters, The Spheres were never going to be mediocre. Comprising three distinct glass dome buildings that contain the online retail giant’s workspaces as well as a sprawling urban botanical garden, the structures in Downtown Seattle have drawn intrigue and plaudits for its centrepiece design.
Now — in addition to twice monthly tours — the public has a new way to step inside the otherwise private campus: Willmott’s Ghost, a new restaurant from James Beard Award winning chef Renee Erickson. Focused on a crowd pleasing offering of Roman-style pizza al taglio and Italian aperitivo cocktails, the menu here is no doubt a big attraction but the real star of the show is the space, with architecture by Heliotrope Architects and interior design by Price Erickson. Named for a thistle-like flower dedicated to Victorian horticulturalist Ellen Ann Willmott, the restaurant takes its lead from the world-class collection of plants that thrive within the climate-controlled spaces around it.
Accordingly, glass and steel are put to good use, offering more than a peek of the climbing forests beyond and bathing the dining room in swathes of natural light. Leather banquettes and booths follow the structure’s unconventional curvilinear shape in a way that feels natural and instinctive, while brass and marble accents paired with white oak chairs, pink Moroccan tiles and original artwork by Ellen Lesperance come together for a wholly contemporary narrative.
INFORMATION
Website
ADDRESS
2100 6th Ave Seattle
PHOTOGRAPHY
Kevin Scott
-
At La Fondation hotel in Paris, minimalism has irresistible warmthOnce a parking lot, this 17th-arrondissement stay now offers rooftop city views, cocooning suites, and interiors by Roman & Williams
-
How LA's Terremoto brings 'historic architecture into its next era through revitalising the landscapes around them'Terremoto, the Los Angeles and San Francisco collective landscape architecture studio, shakes up the industry through openness and design passion
-
The anatomy of a Celine bag: inside the house’s idyllic Tuscan factoryWallpaper* visits the serene Italian factory where Celine crafts its celebrated ‘Triomphe’ handbags, which is set against an inspiring backdrop of lush Tuscan countryside
-
Why everyone in LA is talking about Café TondoHelmed by chef Valeria Velásquez and designed by Aunt Studio, this new spot delivers Latin American buzz all day long
-
Size doesn’t matter at Now Now, a micro-hotel for solo travellers in New YorkCan you pack style into 32 square feet? We find out
-
At this LA dining hotspot, go Spanish or Japanese as you pleaseA dual-concept dining destination designed by the Rockwell Group brings Mediterranean warmth and Japanese precision to Century City
-
The Benjamin’s chic new upstairs bar is Hollywood’s hottest hideawayAt Bar Benjamin, speakeasy mystique meets elevated snacks, cocktails and views
-
More is more at Bar Issi, a maximalist new dining destination in Palm SpringsFettle studio fuses eco-conscious materials with bold design gestures in this playful space inside the new Thompson Hotel
-
Do luxury hotels need a farmer-in-residence?From Ibiza to Indonesia, hospitality brands are cultivating a new travel experience, where wellness begins in the soil and ends at the table
-
A local’s guide to AtlantaDrawn by the city’s diversity and queer community, life coach and writer Cator Sparks returned to Atlanta after 25 years away. He shares his favourite haunts
-
Philadelphia’s ‘Grande Dame’ reopens with a dazzling French twistThe Bellevue Hotel has been restored to its former glory through a stylish renovation by design studio Ward + Gray
