Scusa Restaurant
Scusa Restaurant
Spacegram
LOCATION
Lisboa, Portugal
YEAR
2024
CATEGORY
Restaurant
At times, Design seems to be giving more lessons in style than offering reliable solutions.
We seem to be more concerned about providing experiences and memories, than actually an effective dialogue between space, service, and ultimately food.
This principle, of pushing the “experimental” further than the epicurean, is extremely risky.
As novelties die out, and the “frisson” of a new opening disappears, what ultimately remains tends to disappoint.
As an Architecture and Design Studio which is based on one simple equation, that of understanding space (which is also in our name), that perception and principle keeps us focused on understanding what a client needs, and in translating those needs into an extraordinary effectiveness which the client will see, perceive, touch and feel.
For SCUSA, a new space in Lisbon, the briefing was put in very few words: reimagine an Italian restaurant without falling into the trap of common stereotypes of what “Italian” is and means, but also not to avoid that same cultural framework and turn it into what we now call a “fusion” of sorts.
As a contemporary interpretation of that Italian flair, which goes from the Alpine lakes to the olive groves of Puglia, we needed to make sure the food was the principal ingredient in this equation, and that the space to enjoy it was warm and cozy, with bright oranges and yellows, almost an outside looking in perspective, sunny side up.
For the tables, which have an almost “pizza” folding and transmit the idea of intimate family and friends gatherings, we chose materials which almost blend with the wall textures.
And we used very soft lighting which accentuates warmth again (cue to beautiful streamlined wall lamps which are our pride, or bread and butter).
Playing again with Lisbon’s natural light which we let flow freely from large windows, we let the space breathe and shine in a truly organic way.
The mirror at SCUSA wasn’t just installed—it was sculpted, molded, and fine-tuned until every curve reflected exactly what we wanted: distortion, warmth, and a subtle sense of wonder.
We designed it as a fluid surface that bends perception, inviting guests to see the space—and themselves—from new angles. It plays with scale and movement, echoing the soft forms found throughout the restaurant, while amplifying natural light and spatial rhythm.
More than a functional element, the mirror became a narrative device: a moment of pause, reflection, and gentle disorientation that aligns with SCUSA’s ethos of familiar yet unexpected design.
Funny enough, and true to our Studio’s creative DNA, we do not like to play against the elements, but love to embrace them. More cravings, less abrasive contrasts.
That does not mean we do not implement significant twists, and sometimes provoke creative “breaks” in what you see as apparently linear.
You can see that perfectly illustrated at SCUSA at the downstairs “private room” which pushes colour and texture into much stronger hues and patterns, and which dims down the lights into a subdued, cinematic hidden treasure feeling. As always with any SPACEGRAM project, we made an iconic installation piece there which symbolizes how the pizza dough grows, and the feeling of an organic burst.
The piece, which we named “Popcorn”, is now one of the most photographed in the city, as it translates perfectly that sense of surprise and playfulness which we love to introduce in every project.
SCUSA is almost our Studio in a nutshell: designed to be something you immediately relate to, while providing a singular mix of the familiar and the unexpected.
Food should be centre-stage at any restaurant, and the experience of sitting down to enjoy something, alone or together, is a moment we need to cherish more.
It’s a moment when you disconnect from your workload and busy schedule, street noise fades out, and problems seem a bit smaller over a pasta al dente portion. Everything seems relative when sitting down and putting your mind where your mouth is. Design should be more about relating and relationships (glued through creamy doses of tiramisù). Fewer excuses, more creative explorations.
