Architecture firm Ivy Studio continues to make its mark on the Montreal landscape, most recently with the redesign of the contemporary Italian concept Piatti. Comprising a trio of dining rooms, the restaurant occupies a historic stone structure recently restored following a fire. A traditional Italian ambiance permeates the restaurant, breathing modernity into familiar design vernaculars.
“Although the design is very contemporary overall, we were mainly inspired by traditional Italian design,” says Ivy Studio architect and partner Philip Staszewski. “Classic materials and textures are used in a more minimalist manner than what people are used to seeing. We wanted guests to feel like they are outside of the city and on vacation in the Mediterranean.”
Marble serves as a key component of the materiality, most grandly in a forest green hue that adorns the large pizza oven. Thick slabs of travertine and black marble also top the U-shaped bar and pizza counter to act as a threshold between rooms. Inlaid in a herringbone pattern, all three marbles are embedded into the oak floors, reminiscent of historic European architecture.
Accented by floor-to-ceiling curtains, fluted glass and beveled mirrors also abound throughout Piatti, distorting perspective and perpetuating intimacy. Contemporary light fixtures serve as focal points—particularly the grandiose chandelier suspended above a central round table and individual surface lamps seamlessly integrated into the bar. A deep sienna velvet banquette is installed before a mirrored wall as well, doubling the depth of the open space.
“It stands out immensely from its immediate surroundings. Even amongst the entire city culinary scene, this restaurant offers a quite unique experience,” Staszewski adds. “What was once already an institution to its area, Piatti has reinforced its outstanding reputation with these unrecognizable renovations.”
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