Located within the former Albert Hotel in New York’s iconic Greenwich Village, the latest SIMÒ Pizza location serves as a testament to the traditions of Neapolitan pizza and history with a design concept from Büro Koray Duman. The locally based architecture and design studio draws inspiration from both Neapolitan architecture and the legacy of the restaurant’s setting in Manhattan to compose an experience grounded in cooking as performance, pattern as heritage, and piazza as social space. “We want the guests to feel like they are in an outdoor piazza in Naples,” Duman says, “informal, lively, and surrounded by textures, patterns, and history, hence the open kitchen design based on outdoor kiosks in Naples.”
Green Italian marble countertops and volcanic stone from Naples to compose wall shelves are installed alongside original mosaic floor tiles. “The three-dimensional angled pattern of the volcanic stone shelving stands out,” Duman adds. “Not only does the dialogue of positive/negative space provide a textural layer to the restaurant, the geometry is visually dynamic and memorable.”
Marble is also used to frame the central kitchen as the centerpiece of the interior. Custom laser-cut wood panels are detailed with patterns that reinterpret SIMÒ’s logo, integrating the brand identity into the architecture. An additional 30-seat alfresco space accommodates diners at round cedar tables surrounded by potted Mediterranean flora.
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