Recalling vintage kitchens: the colours of Pidaza

A tight schedule and an original compositional idea were the two prerequisites of the project undertaken by architect Simona Santolini to transform a gourmet “piadineria” into an original yet traditional restaurant called “Pidaza, Pizza Romagnola”.
Situated just a short walk from the Colonne di San Lorenzo in Milan, the location was formerly a gourmet “piadineria”, a traditional restaurant specialising in “piadina” flatbreads typical of the Romagna region. The client, a family originating from Romagna, commissioned the architect to transform the restaurant into a new culinary format that would combine the tradition and roots of their native region with a pizzeria-style concept reflected in the description “pizza romagnola”.
A tight schedule dictated by the project handover and start-up dates determined the choices made by the architect, who in order to keep site work to a minimum focused on replacing the finishes and surface coverings. For this reason, she maintained the existing floor plan, a 77 square metre space consisting of indoor and outdoor area, kitchen and a rear section housing the changing rooms and two separate toilets, one for employees and the other for customers.
Architect Simona Santolini explained the design criteria: “The aim of the project was to make guests feel relaxed and at ease in an intense, natural and pleasant environment. The rooms were designed to create the warm, friendly atmosphere of vintage kitchens through the use of suitable materials such as ceramic tiles.” The materials and colours were therefore chosen with great care in order to meet the colour criteria of the interior design concept and to guarantee the resistance and durability necessary for a restaurant environment.
Discussing the colour choices, the architect continued: “White and avocado green ceramic tiles were used on the walls to give the counter area the look of a home kitchen. By contrast, the cherry tone is reminiscent of the colour of the terracotta pans used for baking the “piadina” flatbreads.” The lighting design enhances the various colours: the ceiling lights and pendant lamp were custom-designed, and in an original touch the luminaire was created from driftwood gathered from beaches along the Romagna coast.
The focal point of the restaurant is the four-metre-high avocado green wall clad with glazed porcelain tiles from the Joyful collection by Tonalite, a material that stands out for its rugged and uneven yet glossy surface capable of reflecting natural light.