Saint
Spatial
ARCHITECTS
Spatial
AREA
3000 sqft - 5000 sqft
YEAR
2022
LOCATION
Monza, Italy
TYPE
Hospitality + Sport › Restaurant
Saint is a newly opened contemporary Italian fine dining restaurant and world-class cocktail bar in Monza, Italy.
Located right on its main square, the restaurant faces the square’s cathedral with its recently restored and spectacular dark green and white marble façade and baroque interiors.
The majestic Duomo façade and the social nature of the piazza have been the main inspirations for the project.
We considered the Duomo and Piazza as an integral part of the restaurant experience and therefore the interior design brings in some of the sublime feelings of the cathedral.
And at the same time, by orienting the tables toward the cathedral and the piazza, it facilitates and encourages the guest's view of them through the four full-height arched windows facing onto the square.
The first thing the guests experience when entering the restaurant is the bar and bistro area, where they are welcomed by the unique ‘bottigliera’ (the liquor shelf), a bespoke maple three-dimensional display system, inspired by the adjacent cathedral's candlelight displays.
Each bottle stands on its own shelf and it is lit from below, making each bottle look like candlelight.
In the evening the dim colourful light display creates an elegant and intimate light effect telling the senses that it is time to relax, unwind and enjoy the delicious foods and drinks and the company of the people with you.
Most of the seating and tables are positioned along the four full-height arched windows overlooking the square.
Having the cathedral on one side, the bottigliera and the patterned mirrors on the other, invites the guests to feel at ease for informal conversations and for sharing more intimate moments while being surrounded by the delicate and unique contemporary interior design and the magnificent presence of the ancient Duomo.
Continuing into the space, next to the bar, there is the dining room, a more formal yet joyful room in which the central orange sofa 'Fiore' (the Flower) seems more like a piece of soft urban furniture making the guests feel as if they're dining right in the piazza.
In the centre of the Fiore, there is a space for temporary and seasonal installations.
The opening installation is dedicated to ‘nature’ and it is composed of tall and medium-high plants, reminding us of the beauty and restoring power of nature and its importance for our well-being.
All the chairs in the dining room are soft pink, enhancing the gentle and elegant feeling of the room.
The partition in the back of the room and facing the square is a patterned bronze mirror reflecting the Duomo façade and the scenes happening on the piazza.
The historical and the contemporary here blend harmoniously, offering a warm and joyful atmosphere, which invites guests to relax, feel good and enjoy sharing delicious foods and drinks.
The extensive and expressive use of wood, it is a proof that sustainability and contemporary design can offer welcoming and captivating experiences.
