Gae Avitabile’s tribute to the Mediterranean

 

In Sperlonga, an Italian town halfway between Rome and Naples, architect and designer Gae Avitabile has shaped a 50 sqm cocktail bar that pays homage to the Mediterranean and the atmosphere of its seaside towns. Named ‘Civico 29’, the bar is designed to be minimal yet evocative, and to blend indoor and outdoor environments.

 

Working within an existing building fabric, Avitabile’s first intervention was to take away the windows to create large openings that connect patrons directly to the incredible coastal panorama. The rest of the design is kept simple with a select material palette.

 

‘Substance, textures, colors and sounds of the area are indeed the linchpins of the project—small in scale,
although with a strong visual impact—reproduced through the use of a limited number of simple materials
specifically out of respect for the town and its lost simplicity,’ explains the architect.

a gradient blue cocktail bar reflects the mediterranean in sperlonga, italy
images © Carlo Oriente

 

 

Echoing the maritime landscape, the walls are covered with a turquoise aluminum mesh curtain and the bar itself features a wave-like shape and blue gradient. In contrast to the azure tones, the flooring is made up of hollow terracotta bricks, which have been filled with white lime and then covered with resin.  

 

Other highlights from the interior design include the custom metal mesh structure suspended above the bar and the white Falkland lamp, a design of Bruno Munari that references fishermen’s pots.

 

Wrapping up the project, the bathroom is a small trunk covered in wallpaper with exotic motifs—a reference to the nostalgia of travel and an invitation to symbolically look for new inspirations elsewhere.

a gradient blue cocktail bar reflects the mediterranean in sperlonga, italy
Gae Avitabile removed the existing windows to create large openings

a gradient blue cocktail bar reflects the mediterranean in sperlonga, italy
a turquoise mesh curtain covers the walls

a gradient blue cocktail bar reflects the mediterranean in sperlonga, italy
the bar features the Falkland lamp designed by Bruno Munari

a gradient blue cocktail bar reflects the mediterranean in sperlonga, italy
the flooring is made up of hollow terracotta bricks filled with white lime

 

 

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project info:

 

name: Civico 29

type: cocktail bar

location: Borgo di Sperlonga, Italy

architecture: Gae Avitabile Design Studio

building company: Edil solution

area: 50 sqm

 

materials and furniture:
wall: aluminium chain wallcovering (Kriskadecor) model gradient 1, wallpaper
wallpaper: Cristiana Masi | Casamood collection
floor: hollow terracotta bricks
light: Falkland lamp (Danese – Artemide)
furniture: bespoke wood counter (Narcasa editor)

 

photography: Carlo Oriente