AVE bistro is an Italian restaurant that we designed as the
primary part of a large complex, which includes the
reconstruction of an early 20th century mansion and the
territory around it.
Concept
AVE bistro is an unusual Italian restaurant: the concept of
its interior is the homage to the house of an Italian master.
The house is permeated with warmth and cosiness, there
is a lot of sun, greenery, and natural materials. Among the
ancient walls there are easels with blank canvases, large
briquettes of stone for sculptures are stored, and steel art
objects are on display.
Each zone of AVE bistro is a reference to the rooms
inhibited by an artist. There is a cosy living area with
a fireplace, a real Italian dining room with a communal
table, a large kitchen counter where the owner of the
house cooks and receives his dear guests.
All these subtle and at first sight unobvious associations
allow to immerse the visitor in the atmosphere of modern
Italy, in a house of cosiness, creativity, and hospitality, in
a very clean and minimalist design.
Space-planning solution
The space consists of three main zones.
In the first hall of the restaurant there could be found low sofa
seating together with tables for four along the windows. In the
second hall, a communal table is placed in a large steel cube
with the same seating along the windows. The main accent of
the second room is the ceiling with stunning mouldings,
preserved in its original, historic form. These two rooms of the
restaurant are connected into a single composition with the
long stone bar counter and the open kitchen that permeates
the entire space.
The third zone of AVE bistro is a separate bakery space
attached to the historic building. From the outside, this glass
cubic space contrasts with the red brick building, while its
interior, on the contrary, is arranged as if it disappears into
the greenery of the inner courtyard. The stained glass
windows of the annexe make the boundary between the
spaces disappear, the natural materials and trees inside the
restaurant echo the lush greenery of the courtyard and its
textures, and an element of the courtyard art object also finds
its way inside the bakery.
All three zones are united by a common stylistic solution and
are tied around the main axis of the space, which leads from
the entrance to the bakery terrace.
The principle of contrast in the interior
Since the restaurant is located in a historic building, we had to
decide how to fit our concept into the existing space,
combining it with the identity of the place.
The interior is based on the principle of contrasts – the
intersection of the historical and the modern, respect for the
heritage and the creation of new meanings.
Everything historical here is textured and alive. We have
preserved the brick walls and accent mouldings on the
ceiling, and recreated a wooden ceiling with beams, which
refers to its historical prototype.
To give the space freshness and air, we integrated new
volumes with smooth textures into the interior. White panels
have been placed around the perimeter of the room, providing
a backdrop for the other volumes: a large onyx bar counter,
a steel cube with seating inside, a steel space with wardrobe
and wine cabinets.
Light translucent curtains with a gradient of natural shades
envelop the entire space, uniting all the volumes and making
the space more integral. Such airiness refers the visitor to the
atmosphere of a green forest and the wrapping haze of fog.
It is important to note that the restaurant concept does not
just exist on its own, it is part of a whole restaurant cluster,
a complete public space located in a green courtyard with
cosy street plantings, restaurant terraces, an amphitheatre,
and open bars.