A True Act of Discovery: Caffè Nazionale in Arzignano by AMAA.

Photography by Mikael Olsson.

Photography by Mikael Olsson.

Located in the late 19th-century City Hall designed by architect Antonio Caregaro Negrin, Caffè Nazionale spans 565 square metres across ground floor, exterior colonnade, and garden. The project, led by Marcello Galiotto and Alessandra Rampazzo of AMAA, creates a direct link between the café and Arzignano’s public square—the civic life of the piazza flows straight through the colonnaded entrance into the main hall.

AMAA’s approach focused on revealing and keeping historical traces. The studio cleared away decades of additions that had hidden the space’s original character. This uncovering process guided what came next, with the architects describing it as “a true act of discovery.”

The main hall works as a series of connected spaces. A perforated stainless steel wall acts like a curtain, offering glimpses of the grand arches facing the inner courtyard. Behind this wall, temporary posters by artist Stefan Marx reference Belle Époque theatrical announcements. A multilayered wooden coffered ceiling handles lighting and acoustics whilst contrasting with the polychrome mosaic floor below. The ceiling’s geometric pattern creates rhythm overhead, whilst the steel wall’s pleated surface plays with transparency.

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Photography by Rory Gardiner.

Between the main hall and courtyard sits a vestibule with a large pivot door. The courtyard—planted with birch trees—provides an open view connecting inside and out. Custom furniture, developed by AMAA with artist Nero/Alessandro Neretti, includes timber benches paired with round tables. The seating draws from New York subway benches and Donald Judd’s work.

Material choices focus on honesty and craft. The decorated surfaces, uncovered during demolition, were consolidated rather than perfectly restored. This keeps the patina of time visible, letting worn elements remain. New partitions similarly show their construction—you can see how they’re made.

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Photography by Simone Bossi.

Photography by Simone Bossi.

The entrance features a burnished iron pivot door with a diamond-shaped design and a custom serpentine marble handle, also by Nero/Alessandro Neretti. An open kitchen sits at the colonnade’s corner, whilst stairs between bar and kitchen lead to the upper dining room.

With offices in Venice, Arzignano, and New York City, AMAA has built recognition for projects exploring memory and materiality. Recent work includes participation in the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale and teaching at the University of Pennsylvania’s Stuart Weitzman School of Design. We are keenly watching their trajectory.

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[Images courtesy of AMAA. Photography by Mikael Olsson, Rory Gardiner and Simone Bossi.]