A chamber of curiosities

Parì, a recently renovated café with kitchen in Modena’s historical city centre whose name alludes to the French capital, has been transformed into an inviting space with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The restyling project, led by architect Daniele Paganelli, aimed to fulfil the client’s request for “a unique venue that didn’t exist elsewhere in the city”. The café needed to offer just-in-time breakfast options and include an in-house kitchen for the preparation of fresh brunches and lunches, all within a compact space of just 38 square metres, excluding utility areas and toilets. “The design process was relatively simple given the predominant constraint posed by the kitchen, which occupied a significant portion of the total area of the premises,” explains the architect. “This left little space for the cafeteria area, and the remaining portion had to be allocated for passageways and, most importantly, seating.” The design process focused on finding the right balance between aesthetics and functionality while considering the café’s primary purpose as a retail premises. Upon entering Parì, customers encounter a warm and “rustic environment with exposed ceiling beams and intentionally roughcast walls”, explains the architect. “To enhance the interior’s elegance, high-gloss ceramic surfaces and glazed partitions reminiscent of vintage windows with square frames and frosted glass were incorporated.” The flooring was divided into two zones to define and expand the visual perception of the space. In the first zone, wood-effect porcelain tiles were used under the counter to make it seem to float and to reduce its visual impact in keeping with the limited dimensions of the space. For the second, more colourful zone, a repeated pattern of porcelain tiles from the Fio.Liquida collection by Fioranese was chosen to enhance the sense of scale. Designed by Davide Tonelli, this collection’s shapes and patterns evoke 1950s design and were chosen in the Ribbed version. The ceramic tiles fulfil the functional needs of a retail space, while their soft and warm colours create a relaxing atmosphere for customers and help mitigate the impact of the open kitchen. “This collection influenced the colour palette of the entire venue, with pink tones on the walls, brown hues for the counter and grey shades for other wall surfaces. Black serves as the accent colour for various elements, including the counter, shelving, lamps, table tops and chair frames. The furnishings, which also evoke 1950s design, include sofas with gently flowing lines and upholstered seats in coordinating colours,” says the architect. The result is a functional yet cosy and familiar space, “a small Wunderkammer, or chamber of curiosities” as Paganelli puts it. Every design detail helps to create a sense of wonder for customers.