Caffè Nazionale | Arzignano, Italy

Unfinished architecture

The restoration of the Caffè Nazionale embraces the city by establishing a direct relationship with the urban fabric of Arzignano. Historical traces are engaged in a creative dialogue, generating layered depth through spatial elements conceived as theatrical backdrops. The project emphasizes continuity with memory while creating a multifaceted and collaborative architectural intervention.

Spatial Organization

The design connects interior and exterior along an axis that aligns the colonnade, the main hall, and the birch courtyard. Spaces unfold as a sequence of stages, creating visual dialogues between the square, the vestibule, and the courtyard. The layout orchestrates transitions between civic space, café, and garden, highlighting the interplay of openness and enclosure.

The main hall integrates fragments of different historical layers. A pleated stainless steel wall conceals and reveals views, while posters by artist Stefan Marx evoke Belle Époque theater. The ground floor hosts the entrance, bar, open kitchen, and café hall, with an upper dining room accessed by a staircase. Wooden tables and benches organize interior and exterior seating, merging tradition with contemporary references.

Material Palette

Recovered historical elements coexist with new interventions. Stainless steel walls, burnished iron doors, serpentine marble handles, polychrome mosaic floors, and multilayered wooden ceilings all contribute to a layered, theatrical materiality. The project embraces imperfection and unfinished textures, highlighting authenticity in surfaces and construction details.

Context Integration

Through its restoration, the project becomes a living work that connects the square, colonnade, and garden with Arzignano’s cultural identity. It preserves memory while embracing new uses, creating a space of urban continuity and layered history. This project exemplifies architectural research into “the unfinished”, revealing processes and construction techniques as part of the architectural narrative.