CC DESIGN TRENDS
Interior Architecture Award for Commercial Projects: Perit Kenneth Zammit Endrich and Perit Samuel Cassar Kenneth Zammit Endrich and Samuel Cassar of Architects Studio were presented with the commercial interior award for Vinaccia, a townhouse they converted into an Italian restaurant.
In essence, Kenneth Zammit Endrich and Samuel Cassar describe this project as the restoration, conversion and regeneration of a terraced courtyard house in the historic centre of Rabat. “The building was last split between two resident families and a grocery store. It was totally unrecognisable to the new fine dining restaurant Vinaccia,” explain the architects, who were involved in every aspect of its design, from major planning and restoration decisions to the design of all micro level elements. “Found in a quaint alley in the Rabat village core, our client came across a dilapidated casa bottega with several unique architectural features. It was love at first sight, and immediately the dream began of restoring the old townhouse into a unique fine dining restaurant with both indoor
and outdoor spaces, to allow the guests to experience the entirety of the building and its original architectural fabric,” they say. The result comprises a formal entrance and bar at the ground floor, along with a private dining room that seats up to 10 people, for an authentic home dining room feel. On the first floor, the main dining area hosts around 20 guests, and for the warmer months, an al fresco dining area in the courtyard can house the same number of guests. “Restoration decisions and all the contemporary design materials and ideas were stripped back and executed to a basic principle: to have all dining clients appreciate being surrounded by centuries of evolving Maltese architectural history, whilst enjoying a lovely meal prepared by the chef
Photo by Brian Grech
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JUNE/JULY 2020