Blacksheep has unveiled its design for Quattropasi al Pescatore, a new restaurant in Hotel Cervo, originally built by Prince Aga Khan on Sardinia's Costa Smeralda. Blacksheep's redesign was influenced heavily by the nature of the site and this can be seen in everything from the structural elements through to fixtures and fittings.
Hotel Cervo briefed Blacksheep to create a holistic new vision for the restaurant interiors and brand. For Quattropasi al Pescatore, Blacksheep chose to retain the fabric and unique character of the architecture and focus on enhancing this with new design elements and the introduction of classic furniture pieces.
Blacksheep's overall design narrative sought to introduce a sense of contemporary luxury whilst also proving a timeless aesthetic, executed through a sensuous new color palette, dynamic material exploration and a connection to nature.
The interior spaces have been redefined with monolithic, sinuous travertine blocks, creating a new bar, fish counter and a host desk. Sculptural glass pendant lighting is juxtaposed with rough unfinished stonewalls and exposed roof beams, celebrating the natural elements and the original architecture. Nature continues to be a theme through the dressing of the space with the use of terracotta tiles, rattan pendants and bespoke timber banquettes.
The dining area seamlessly transitions to a drinks and dance floor and a new feature bar has been created with a travertine stone DJ booth. Travertine can be seen in numerous key design elements, to resonate with the rawness of the Sardinian landscape.
The exterior terrace of Quattropasi al Pescatore offers sweeping views of the Tyrrhenian Sea. To frame this breath-taking view, Blacksheep has introduced understated modern timber furniture, woven pendant lighting and sheer drapes. Externally, the front and rear gardens have been replanted with local Sardinian herbs and the entrance signage redesigned based upon the original hand-drawn typeface and constructed using local timber.
Local materials and construction methods were closely referenced and utilized during the redesign of the spaces. This includes lime plasterwork wall, traditional Sardinian timber roofing, unfinished local stone corbelling and rustic terracotta floor tiles.
In a region where new interior typologies are still few and far between, Blacksheep has reimagined a 1960s classic and updated it for the modern age. The design is a celebration of merging contemporary design cues with idiosyncratic elements and forms of the original building.
Blacksheep also designed a new wordmark and logo as part of a complete suite of brand collateral. The typography was based on the historic letterforms of the original craftsmen who constructed the building.
Photography: Kate Berry