The many facets of transparency

The historic Baracchina, a glass-walled location close to Parco Amendola in Modena and a popular meeting place above all for young people, has had a makeover and adopted a new dining formula. While the previous venue was best known for its breakfasts, the new Baracchina restaurant and bar is envisioned as an all-day dining venue for a broader clientele and with a menu that includes not only breakfast but also lunch, aperitifs and, for the first time, dinner. In the remodelling project, awarded to Chiara Melandri from the Modena-based practice Martino Design, « the glass perimeter is the only pre-existing feature that has been maintained, while everything else has been totally redesigned, from the roof to the interiors », she explains. The interior design project has created a chameleon-like environment that changes during the day and according to the restaurant’s offerings. So alongside the bright, light-filled space ideal for daytime eating, the restaurant has a more intimate, elegant and darker ambience that is more suited to an evening meal. To cater for these different scenarios, the architects focused strongly on the choice of materials and developed a customisation project in collaboration with Stepping Stone, a design, research and development showroom in Bologna. In particular, ceramic tiles from Florim were chosen in monochromatic tones and large sizes to create a functional space that coordinates effectively with the furnishings while conveying a sense of minimalist aesthetic continuity. The Matières de Rex collection with a warm material texture and in the soft Mou colour is used on the floor of the dining area and in the Magnum Oversize 120×240 cm format on the mezzanine wall. The decidedly darker and more intense neutral brown shade of the concrete-effect Esprit de Rex collection is used on the floor of the mezzanine and echoed in the large slabs that grace the bar counter, where the custom-designed logo provides a unique and original touch. The functional bar area is highlighted by the use of Archeologie porcelain tiles in a contrasting white colour on the wall, its iridescent trowelled effect enhanced by the LED lighting, while the illuminated rear panels help to create an eye-catching, brightly-lit space ideal for aperitifs. The lighting design was another important aspect of the project. « To reinforce the presence of natural light, we eliminated the laminated screens located at the base of the perimeter, » explains Melandri. « We then chose floor-to-ceiling glazing which coordinates well with the restrained, minimalist look of the large-format porcelain slabs. » Ceramic surfaces are also used for the furnishings, testifying to the meticulous attention to detail and aesthetic continuity of the project. The steel-framed tables are topped with porcelain slabs from the contrasting Neutra 6.0, Esprit de Rex and Matières de Rex collections, creating original two-tone effects thanks to the custom-made 45°cut, and reproducing the same colour shades as those of the walls. For the kitchen and bathroom floors, the designers opted for the concrete-effect Buildtech 2.0 series and the elegant terrazzo-inspired collection Le Veneziane.