On Szewska Street, a space that combines Italian casualness and homely hospitality has opened in the Pod Złotą Marią building, which dates back to the 14th century. The Marietta Restaurant, designed by the studio CUDO:, is an example of how architecture and branding can tell a coherent story together – from the interior to the visual communication.
The premise of the project was to create a place that does not intimidate, but invites. Entering Marietta is meant to be as natural as going from the living room to the kitchen when meeting friends. The focacceria is the focus of attention – the bar counter with the refrigerated display case acts as the heart of the establishment. It is the counter that catches the eye of the guests, displaying the products and at the same time allowing the staff to work efficiently even in the case of heavy traffic.
The investors wanted functionality that could cope with the intense rhythm of a street food bar. The small area required solutions that would maximise the use of space. The architects proposed high seats at most of the tables, allowing more guests to be seated comfortably. Tops mounted directly on the walls, without legs, free up the floor and improve the comfort of movement without limiting the number of seats.
The project faced the challenge of fitting a modern concept into the framework of a historic building. It was inspired by the austerity of small Italian establishments – salumerias or paninoteca – where simplicity of materials and unpretentiousness of atmosphere are as important as taste. Checkerboard flooring in white and red, dark wood, sandy yellows and stainless steel create a composition that tells the story of Italian cooking without being pompous. The white tiles evoke local butcher shops, while the red accents on the walls and ceiling add energy. The entire space is warmed by wooden stuccowork, which balances the coolness of the steel.
Marietta’s interior is not just a setting – it is an integral part of the business plan. The investors wanted to create a concept that was easy to replicate in other cities, scalable and welcoming. The architecture had to support the product display, maintain an Italian flair and at the same time be functional in a limited space. The atmosphere of the premises is reminiscent of a spontaneous visit to a best friend’s house, rather than a formal dinner in a fancy restaurant.
The branding layer was the responsibility of HART Studio, which developed the strategy, visual identity and storytelling.
We started the process by searching for a name, first identifying some key qualities it had to carry. We were looking for a word that would be warm and Italian in sound and evoke associations with a good, hospitable hostess. This is how Marietta was created – not only a name, but also a brand personality and brand hero. Marietta is the central figure of all communication, a heroine who combines Italian ease, warmth and quality, ” conclude the designers.
design: CUDO:
design team: Aleksander Czerwonka-Jabłoński, Tomasz Borowiak, Marta Masełko, Margareta Sztejkowska, Przemek Wdowiak
photography: Migdał Studio
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