Immersive Restaurant with Intoxicating Narrative & Playful Charm 13th November 2019 | IN HOSPITALITY DESIGN | BY SBID

Project of the Week: SBID Awards Winners 2019

This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features the playful charm and intoxicating narrative of Torno Subito for Massimo Bottura; the Italian restaurateur’s latest venture in Dubai. Vibrantly captured by Bishop Design by Paul Bishop, the SBID Award winning project for the Restaurant Design category is an explosion of utterly beautiful reminiscence.

Ultimately la dolce vita, with colour-bombs and beachside terrace, Torno Subito is situated within the latest W Hotel offering upon The Palm Jumeirah Dubai. The venue beautifully fuses design, food and influences from the golden days in one harmonious offering, through an intoxicating reflection of Massimo’s affection with the past; also mirroring his culinary approach of ‘tradition in evolution’. With its distinctive storyline, Torno Subito brings a playful charm to the UAE as it completely immerses guests within its narrative; infused with sunshine-yellow tiles, Italian-punk inspired artworks and a Polaroid photo feature ceiling. Entirely ahead of its time, Torno Subito revolutionises the F&B (food and beverage) landscape as a pioneer of immersive dining.

SBID Awards: Restaurant Design winner sponsored by Perennials and Sutherland

Company: Bishop Design by Paul Bishop

Project: Torno Subito

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Restaurant design for Massimo Bottura restaurant in Dubai, Torno Subito by Bishop Design

Photos by Alex Jeffries

What was the client’s brief? 

Torno Subito, situated within the latest W Hotel upon the Palm Jumeirah Dubai, is a visual celebration for famed World’s number one chef and 3-star Michelin Holder Massimo Bottura.  The chef known for passion, creativity and even his quirkiness saw a unique opportunity with this venture, in that he could recreate his childhood memories through intelligent design and an innovative food offering.  The brief was simply to realize the sentiment of Massimo having fun. A metaphysical manifestation of beachside days reminiscent of Rimini’s coastal playground in the 1950s/60s – fun-filled days enjoying amazing food, drinks and ultimate relaxation. The interiors were to transport you to destinations beyond imagination through an intoxicating reflection of Massimo’s affection with the past. Film was to be an integral expression throughout as inspiration from Fellini films took precedent. The venue was to be a beautiful fusion, bringing together design, food and influences from the golden days into one harmonious offering.

Restaurant design for Massimo Bottura restaurant in Dubai, Torno Subito by Bishop Design

What inspired the interior design of the project? 

An intoxicating narrative of bygone days sets Torno Subito far beyond alternate offerings in the region, elevating the design as one of the most revolutionary in the country. Ultimately La Dolce Vita, with colour-bombs and beachside terrace, “Torno Subito” is an explosion of utterly beautiful reminiscence. Massimo’s “tradition in evolution” approach to food enticed the design direction to inherit the best of the past and carry it forward to the future.  Days of Italian pop culture were to be relived in a bewitching series of pure memoirs, satisfying Dubai’s crave for an authentic experience in its absent nostalgia.

Restaurant design for Massimo Bottura restaurant in Dubai, Torno Subito by Bishop Design

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

To capture a vision belonging to someone so passionate as Massimo was challenging, yet we superseded expectations by perfectly creating his desired narrative. So far beyond solely an F&B venue, the walls tell a beautiful story inspired by Massimo’s memories, enabling guests to relive Italian food markets and beachside days in 1950s/60s Rimini. Even the name itself “Torno Subito,” translating to “I’ll be back soon,” reflective of Italian shopkeeper window signs, perfectly captures the sentiments of the venues story, whilst playing a tongue-in-cheek reference to Massimo’s presence at the restaurant.

Restaurant design for Massimo Bottura restaurant in Dubai, Torno Subito by Bishop Design

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

We had never worked to realize such an inspiring story as the one told Torno Subito. The narrative was enhanced through physically diversifying materials and installations evoking a recollection of memory and re-collection of object. Pastel tones compliment the bold color mélange; contrasting against a morphing monochromatic floor that seamlessly blends into a unique, three-dimensional sand-print flooring. An eclectic array of black and white Polaroid photos suspends from the ceiling, including films of Fellini and Massimo’s collection of nostalgic 1960s summers. Cinematic ideologies evolve through corrugated iron forms representative of cinema curtains, surrounding the WC entrance. Animated graphic-stamped ceiling panels float in irregular lines representing the canopies of old Italian food market tents that Massimo has been visiting since he was young.

Restaurant design for Massimo Bottura restaurant in Dubai, Torno Subito by Bishop Design

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

Showcasing projects of the highest calibre all over the world, the SBID Awards stand as a desirable platform for every designer to share their work. It truly is a privilege to be able to submit a selection of our projects and be crowned SBID Award winners, as we become inspired year on year with the unprecedented talent and expertise that the awards showcase.

Restaurant design for Massimo Bottura restaurant in Dubai, Torno Subito by Bishop Design

Questions answered by Paul Bishop, Owner and Founder of Bishop Design by Paul Bishop

If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring SBID Award winners for CGI & Visualisation with the stunning visualisations of their skyscraping penthouse project, click here to see more.

We hope you feel inspired by this week’s Restaurant Design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire

SBID Awards 2019 | Restaurant Design Winner sponsored by Perennials and Sutherland

restaurant design, Immersive Restaurant with Intoxicating Narrative & Playful Charm

restaurant design, Immersive Restaurant with Intoxicating Narrative & Playful Charm

restaurant design, Immersive Restaurant with Intoxicating Narrative & Playful Charm