Al Mercato / AMA – Albera Monti & Associati

March 25, 2011

Al Mercato / AMA – Albera Monti & Associati

Al Mercato / AMA – Albera Monti & Associati: "

Architects: AMA – Albera Monti & Associati: Giovanni Albera [Partner], Nicolas Monti [Partner],Rita Saragoça Saramago Silva Pereira
Location: Milan, Italy
Project area: 80 sqm
Photographs: Giuseppe Albera

A restaurant-deli in the very heart of Milano. The tiny dining room and the take-away separated by the glass-enclosed kitchen, where the two young chefs demonstrate their skillfullness in preparing their “haute-cuisine” dishes, also on full view to people passing by in the street.
The very high tech look of the kitchen is in starck contrast with tackle with the retro finishes of the restaurant, played on dark brown ceramic flooring and old fashioned wallpaper; ornate gilded framed mirrors let the customers facing the wall watch the preparation of the dishes in the kitchen.

Light is provided by fluo lamps recessed in the ceiling, candles on the tables and Globo hanging lamps over the counter. The deli space has a deco like ceramic flooring, very warm lightning provided by Pudding Fontana Arte hanging lamps and indirect fluo light.
A small library of selected cooking books is free to browse for waiting customers, that can use it as source of inspiration for their requests of take-away dishes made to order.

elevation

Inn congtrast the restrooms are darkish with the walls painted in different hues with a look that recalls contemporay art works.
The architects reflect in this project the culture of the young clients, (total up to 55 years ) who both lived and worked in California and in the Far East, travelled extensively exploring different gastro cultures but retained solid Italian roots.