Past Meets Present
A 19th-century former town hall in Arzignano, Northern Italy, has been transformed into Caffè Nazionale, a modern café, bar, and bistro whose design seamlessly merges historical architecture with striking modern details. Central to the design by AMAA architectural studio are two pivoting doors - one external and one internal, both crafted from texturally compelling materials.
When designing Caffè Nazionale, the focus was to create an unpretentious space, envisioning the café’s entrance as a threshold into a welcoming home. To create this feeling, AMAA designed a solid door that sits beautifully within the colonnaded exterior. Breaking with tradition, the design is visually very different from the average clear glass door most often seen in hospitality settings. Instead, patrons are greeted by a beautiful, burnished iron door with an intriguing diamond pattern. The door channels historic design, but its effortless functionality is enabled by the FritsJurgens System M+ pivot.
Stepping inside, original details pair beautifully with sleek, industrial materials. Folded and perforated steel sheets have been used to reflect traditional decorative tracery of Gothic architecture.
When designing a door for the interior, AMAA knew they wanted something large and impressive. Sitting seamlessly within a perforated aluminium wall this oversized pivoting door weighs 320kg yet moves with the touch of a finger thanks to the FritsJurgens System M+. The generous proportions (2300mm wide x 3200mm high) are juxtaposed by the material choice - a gentle wave design to the perforated steel that softens the aesthetic while allowing light and silhouettes from the courtyard beyond to shine through.
Discover the benefits of specifying System M+ below and find out more here.
Explore Caffè Nazionale
Architect: AMAA
Location: Arzignano, Northern Italy
Explore the systems used in this project and more.
