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Green and Healthy With Salt All Around in Shiraz

Green and Healthy With Salt All Around in Shiraz
Green and Healthy With Salt All Around in Shiraz

If you like an extra sprinkle of salt or two on your food, then this is definitely the restaurant for you.

The walls, bar, tables, and chairs of Salt Restaurant Shiraz are made entirely from the mineral, and even the stairs have a smooth, salty coating.

Inspired by salt caves and to promote the concept of green construction, the unique restaurant is the brainchild of Iranian firm Emtiaz Designing Group. The architects of the eatery in southern Iran claim their building material cleanses the two-storey bistro of cooking smells and creates positive ions in the atmosphere, Daily Mail UK reports.

The project began with a thorough study on the appropriate type of local salt and its combination with natural gums at the natural salt mines and the salt lake located close to the 150-square meter restaurant site.

They wanted to create a design that reflected the area’s distinctive salt mines and Marharloo salt lake of Shiraz. “In this particular case, the walls, structural sculptures and ceilings are made from salt sourced from the nearby salt mines and salt lake of Shiraz which was mixed with natural gum to harden it”, a spokesman from the architects group said.

The designers wanted to make sure the interiors twisted and turned just like they do in salt caves” “We assume that the natural gums protect the salt from being washed away by rain. Salt powder and rock were used to make most of the surfaces, which curve and sweep, to mimic the real thing. To up the eco-friendly factor, recycled soda cans were used to fashion quirky chairs and the stair treads going up to the second floor.”

Using cans to surface the stairs and chair frames, was another way of keeping down the carbon footprint.

Historically, we know salt was valuable, having even been once used as currency (hence the phrase “worth one’s salt”). But in addition to promoting their unique idea of green building, using locally relevant materials, the architects are also trying to revive the ancient idea that salt has healing powers: “Salt suffers a bad reputation in gastronomy thanks to its overuse in most diets, meaning that most people are not aware of its astonishing healing powers. But in fact salt has been known as a powerful health remedy since ancient times, especially for respiratory health and detoxification. In many ways, these two functions are the foundation of overall health. Even Hippocrates prescribed salt water inhalation therapy for bronchial and lung disorders.”

Flowing organically in form and clever in its use of materials, Shiraz’s salt restaurant is a surprising interpretation of what a modern green building might look like.

Salt therapy involves the therapeutic use of time spent in salt mines, salt caves, or other forms of salt exposure to treat medical conditions. So, eating at the Salt Restaurant could have several benefits. And you can rest assured that the food won’t be bland!

 

Financialtribune.com