History / Since 1985
FAD Award
Snooker 1985
Opened in 1985 as Snooker Club Barcelona, it was designed as an elegant and welcoming English-style social club for playing the game of Snooker. It received the FAD Award for Interior Design that same year, becoming the first nightlife venue ever to win this honor.
A continuation of awards granted by the City Council since 1899, the FAD Interior Design Awards (Foment de les Arts i del Disseny) are among the most prestigious in the country.
At the Miró Foundation, the professional jury praised 'the intelligent transformation of a typical Eixample space into a new venue of original morphology that, through the transformation of the ceiling, the layout of the bar, the placement of the billiard tables, a large mirror, and a wide inner door, succeeds in creating a venue of great intimacy and magical atmosphere.'
Note the convex domed ceiling with its equidistant lamps, the interplay of curves between the bar and the large pillars, the engraved glass mural at the entrance with the sphere (a fragment from a monument depicting a sundial in Parc de la Ciutadella), and the marquetry on the door and some tables, which, along with the other furnishings, complete the space.
Joan Manuel Serrat at Snooker
Snooker in 1981
Catalan design at its purest, an example of the union of masters from 1980s Barcelona:
Architect: Dr. Santiago Roqueta.
Designers:
Carles Riart. The 'Snooker' chairs, armchairs, and tables were specially designed for the venue.
Oleguer Armengol
Gabriel Ordeig. Alabaster lamps.
Susana Canals. The marquetry of the entrance door.
Jordi Cañadell. Marquetry tables.
S. Valladares and L. Cortés. Reflected clock at the entrance.
Designer Carles Riart and Bar Manager Simón Pacielo in 2019
SNOOKER TABLE
The minimalist expression of a round table, designed by Carles Riart in 1985 for Snooker Barcelona.
It stems from a premise: the beauty of form lies in the self-evidence of its structure. As its creator, Carles Riart, states, a piece of furniture is a mix of constructional and formal challenges.
Its form must always correspond to a logical structure. These tables are so refined they are almost weightless, pure structure. The lightweight top has a filed edge to give it even more lightness. Its triangular, solid wood legs taper towards the floor, and its height is relatively low, adapted to the Snooker armchairs they accompany. Furthermore, the top is tailored to the occasion, made of three-way matched sycamore veneer.
Measurements:
Ø 90 x h: 65cm
Ø 110 x h: 72cm
SNOOKER ARMCHAIR
A new concept in upholstered furniture, somewhere between the lightness of a chair and the comfort of an armchair, with a slightly inclined back and arms, designed by Carles Riart to while away the hours at Snooker Barcelona.
Riart says that when he draws a chair, he draws fifty variations, each suggesting a different quality that he tries to develop to its limit. Perhaps that is why the final chair has a sense of synthesis, incorporating many of these implicit qualities.
One need only have a drink at Snooker Barcelona to understand this piece, part chair and part armchair: upholstered and padded, with a generous, curved arm, a deep seat for settling into conversation, and a somewhat low stature, adapted to the accompanying Snooker table.
With its simple character and harmonious lines, this new classic is handcrafted from solid maple wood, with an upholstered seat and back, a slight recline, and long, soft, and thoughtfully curved arms, designed to encourage relaxation and good conversation.
Technical description:
Wooden armchair
Hand-sewn upholstery
63 x 60 x h: 86.5 cm
Today, it is one of the few FAD-awarded venues that can still be visited, as most have disappeared. It is a pleasure to spend time comfortably in this timeless space, chatting, playing pool, and sampling the specialties from our menu.
Snooker Today
