A place where you can be child again: Pappa is the Comfort Food Restaurant opened in Bari (Italy) last year 2017, where a ‘50s nostalgic atmosphere, recalls Italian childhood experience with food. In fact, ‘Pappa’ in Italian means baby food.
In the heart of the Old Town of Bari in Apulia, the project by SMALL-Soft Metropolitan Architecture & Landscape Lab architectural office, is designed in collaboration with Diorama - atelier of architecture and design. The restaurant is a welcoming and an informal place, where the ancient taste of the territory is combined with the exuberant colors of the Italian kitchen: "tomato-red" dyed furnishings, the typical aqua green of the vintage Italian school desks layering the surfaces, while the geometric patter of the wall cladding is inspired by the traditional ceramic coverings. Paying homage to the previous carpentry shop, the interior walls are cladded with timber panels engraved with numerical control mill.
The 19th-Century building is entirely built with local stone, from the 'chianche' stone floor to the tufa vaults. Mid-century quirky design bursts lively and ironically into the Apulian constructive tradition, combining seats inspired by Jean Prouvé’s iconic chair with custommade coffee tables reminiscent of place mats. The lamps on the walls - made by reinterpreting vintage suspensions - take shape of megaphones for wire broadcasting, while the framed logos and graphics bring us back to the emblematic adverts of the Italian economic boom from the 50’s and 60’s.
At the back of the room the counter dominates the scene. Imagined as a huge toy, the counter is characterized in the lower part by a colorful pattern that seems to follow the first attempts of writing made with felt-tip pens, while at the top a gigantic abacus illuminates the bar.
A series of lamps, with enameled plates as lampshades, are fixed to a turquoise microperforated metal sheet that allows the systems to stay hidden without damaging the old vault. The sheet represents the paradox of an upside-down laid table overhead changes the customers perspective.
The synergy between the two young architecture studios has been combined with the youthful taste of the brand design by FF3300 visual ad studio. The graphic identity is made up of intricate details, colors and textures that blend perfectly with the furnishings, giving life to an immersive and delicately nostalgic atmosphere.
Raw based ingredients is the starting point of Pappa’s concept. The selection of local tapas embraces the traditional Mediterranean cuisine, combined with international flavors. Founded by an experienced team in the field of cocktails and beverages, Pappa offers a sophisticated culinary experience with a carefully selected wine list and food menu. Pappa follows the success of “BIT - Bloom in town” restaurant, opened last year in Molfetta (Italy), a cosy and relaxed ambience which combines unexpected graphics and a warm tropical taste with the historical background.
