Pizza, ceramics and… imagination

Although the classic “Napoli” isn’t on the menu, inhabitants of Florence can now enjoy an authentic Neapolitan-style pizza at Accà Ristopizzaperitivo in Via Pisana. The eatery is located in front of the former Universale nightlife venue in Florence’s Oltrarno district, the unpretentious working-class area celebrated by post-war Florentine novelist Vasco Pratolini. The architecture and interior design of Accà reflects the soul of this down-to-earth neighbourhood, bringing it to life in a modern vein. The project created by Emanuela De Caro, Davide Licciardi, Antonio Mollo, Laura Meloni and Gàbor Szàzs (responsible for the interior design) from the architecture and engineering practice Csp2 focused on simplicity and clearly identified functions. The result is a comfortable, contemporary atmosphere in which a Florentine flavour is combined with a touch of authentic Naples. The key organisational element of the project is an orange coloured strip that runs continuously through the restaurant, giving a bright, cheerful look to all the rooms. The colour orange is also used in the bathrooms and for the external cladding of the wood oven, positioned at right-angles with respect to the room furthest from the entrance. This use of colour, explain the designers, served to restore meaning to a sequence of rooms that lacked a clearly defined organisational layout.
But there was of course another factor underpinning these interior design decisions . The choice, size and arrangement of the furnishings help to create a contemporary, young, informal and vaguely industrial atmosphere that is both elegant and intriguing. Furnishing highlights include the Cream chairs by Calligaris, stools Lem by Lapalma (design Shin & Tomoko Azumi), the tables, the diamond-shaped bar counter, the bottle-lined shelves, and stylistic features reminiscent of Neapolitan pizzerias such as the corten balustrade on the stairs leading down to the lower floor. Essential without being minimalist, these discreet, wooden elements bring a touch of warmth.
However, the most distinctive components of the interior decor are the floor tiles installed on either side of the orange strip, chosen in a contrasting neutral colour and industrial texture. “We chose ceramic tiles for all the surfaces in the restaurant with the sole exception of the orange resin floor strip,” explained the architects. “We wanted to create an environment that would have an industrial atmosphere but at the same time would be warm and welcoming. Although in two of the four rooms they are visible only on a small section, ceramic tiles proved to be the perfect solution in terms of aesthetics while at the same time enhancing the furnishings and architectural elements.”
The choice of ceramic tiles was not left to chance or based on purely economic considerations and in fact involved a great deal of thought. As the young architects from Csp2 explained, “We chose ceramic tiles primarily for their outstanding resistance to foot traffic and to wear in general. And we opted for Florim in particular because the company is well known both for its excellent products and for its strong focus on sustainability. Tiles from the Industrial series from Floor Gres by Florim won us over for their quality, durability, design and size. They were precisely the tiles we were looking for. Their rough, irregular concrete texture is mitigated by their pale grey colour, giving them a textural, industrial and slightly rugged appearance while maintaining their strong visual appeal.” The overall effect is visually striking, as demonstrated by the many positive reviews written on Tripadvisor and similar sites, which highlight one of the main features of Accà: the displays of food and wines from the Campania region bearing DOP, IGP and DOC labels. As if to say, the real Naples is here, or “accà” in Neapolitan dialect!