09/09/2026
We are honored to see NORMA Resto Café at Gallery 7, San Juan featured by the Manila Bulletin.
For GALA Architecture, NORMA presented an opportunity to translate a story of family, heritage, and Filipino-Spanish culture into architecture.
The design draws from the character of a bygone era while remaining grounded in a contemporary dining experience. Arched openings, warm material palettes, intricate woven elements, crafted screens, natural textures, and layered lighting come together to create a space that feels familiar, intimate, and timeless.
Rather than simply recreating the past, the design interprets heritage through a contemporary lens—allowing traditional references to coexist with modern functionality.
From the rhythm of the arches to the carefully detailed ceiling treatments and bespoke elements throughout the interiors, every component contributes to the identity of the space.
The result is an environment that transforms throughout the day: welcoming guests as a café in the morning and evolving into a warm, intimate dining destination by evening.
For us, this is what makes architecture meaningful; when design goes beyond aesthetics and becomes a vessel for memory, identity, and experience.
We are grateful to Manila Bulletin for recognizing NORMA and the architectural story behind it.
Congratulations to the entire NORMA team, and to GALA Team who contributed to bringing this vision from concept to reality.
NORMA Resto Café
Gallery 7, San Juan
Designed by Architect Richard Garcia and the GALA Architecture team.
Read the full feature by Manila Bulletin:
“NORMA Resto Café: A new family recipe in San Juan”
https://mb.com.ph/2026/08/27/norma-resto-cafe-a-new-family-recipe-in-san-juan
