s p a c e BUREAU designs a pizzeria in the old warehouse district of tucson, arizona

image by roehner + ryan

since scott girod spent time living in both italy and japan, anello is a pizzeria with an interior design rooted in the concept of wabi sabi – a japanese aesthetic that finds beauty in imperfections. the restaurant occupies one of five small ‘shotgun’ style spaces housed within a historical building dating back to the end of the 19th century. measuring just 820ft2 (76m2), the architect has embraced the limited area to create an increased sense of warmth and intimacy for the tucson community.

image by roehner + ryan

the space is organized around two elements: the handmade brick pizza oven and the long communal dining table. the pizza oven, which was shipped directly from naples, italy, serves as the ‘hearth’ of the space and the main focal point. unlike most pizzerias, the grey-plastered oven remains untiled. when asked why he chose not to tile the oven, chef scott girod simply replied that he, ‘wanted everyone to see the oven age over time’, reiterating the concept of wabi sabi.

image by roehner + ryan

the long, twelve-person communal dining table also helps to organize and define space within the restaurant. custom-designed and made from hard maple wood, the table aims to bring people together to share a meal.

image by roehner + ryan

the interior design utilizes a restrained palette of materials. rough sawn douglas fir adds warmth to the custom-designed storefront, main entry door, windows, and ceiling. smooth finished hardwood maple is used for the custom furnishings such as the tables and bench seating. hardwood hickory is utilized for the accent furnishing pieces such as shelving and the pizza counter. black powder-coated steel round rod appears to make the framing for the shelving systems, and a custom-designed tile that references the frescos found within the local san xavier mission that dates back to the 17th century is applied in the restroom to add color and a touch of subtle playfulness within the minimalist interior.

image by roehner + ryan

one of the main architectural features of anello is the folded douglas fir ceiling. it functions in multiple ways. firstly to mitigate and balance the acoustics of the space through the spacing of the wood slats and by the rough sawn texture of the material. and secondly, to conceal all of the mechanical and electrical systems above. the geometry of the ceiling also serves to reveal the windows that had been previously hidden. lastly, the ceiling becomes an extension of the oversized entry door that uses a similar slatted douglas fir aesthetic.

image by roehner + ryan

the interior lighting of the space uses a combination of soft spotlighting to provide consistent lighting while also using a hybrid table lamp that allows for a subtle ambient and atmospheric glow like candlelight. the exterior of the building uses a soft red neon light that is housed in a custom fixture, this neon light washes the historic red brick of the building to create a soft glow that mimics the fire coming from the oven. finally, the red glow of the neon light also serves as the ‘sign’ for the space, announcing to the tucson community that anello is ready to serve them.

image by roehner + ryan

image by roehner + ryan

image by roehner + ryan

image by zoey bloom

image by roehner + ryan

image by roehner + ryan

image by roehner + ryan

owner: scott girod

area: 820ft2 (76m2)

year: 2018

builder: s p a c e BUREAU

engineering: mike harris engineering (structural); adams & associates (M + P); CC electrical consulting (electrical)

photography: roehner + ryan, zoey bloom

specifications:

storefront, front door, windows, ceiling: douglas fir (baer joinery; tucson, arizona)

furniture: hard maple (midtown artisans; tucson, arizona)

lighting: plumen, luceplan

custom steel fixtures & furniture: solid steel; tucson, arizona

custom tile: protz studio; tucson, arizona

awards: 2018 aia western mountain region design excellence citation award, 2018 aia arizona design excellence interior architecture merit award, 2018 aia southern arizona design excellence interior architecture merit award

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom