Antica Morphett St Pizzeria in Adelaide by Genesin Studio.

Antica Morphett Street is the new flagship pizzeria and restaurant for owner and restaurateur Anthony Crea. The new location is modernist Italian, based around influences from the client’s family heritage in Napoli, Italy. Ryan Genesin of Genesin Studio drew inspiration from the old gated lane-ways of Napoli which open up into hidden piazzas. The paved lane-ways and bricked vaulted ceilings are dominant influences, creating a brick-on-brick narrative for the restaurant.

Antica has activated a small pocket of food operators in the Adelaide’s western city block, an area typically occupied by offices and the industry. The restaurant’s gated façade is private and intriguing – when closed it provides only a glimpse into the hidden courtyard. The venue is seen in it full glory when the louvered façade opens to control the sun, activating the street scape to the food theatre within.

The floors, walls, vaulted ceilings, planters, bench seats have all been adorned with over 50,000 hand cut bricks with evolving detail as one moves through the space. The brick is the hero, transitioning from the vaulted ceilings, to deconstructed bar surrounds, culminating in fluted walls. The wall cladding and bar tops create a simple contrast with a light honed material against the highly textured brickyness that happens elsewhere. The lighting ads a sense of theatre, giving the space a feel modern and moody feel, carefully articulating the interior amongst the food experience. Blackened steel was used for the windows, bar surrounds and the facade for its simplicity and rawness, paying homage to the old gated lane-ways of Napoli.

We had a quick chat to Ryan about this smashing project. Read on for what he had to say.

+ What was your design inspiration for this project – i.e was it a result of client’s brief, a particular concept or an idea etc?

The inspiration was a response to the client’s brief to create a modern Italian site for the city life. The owner and restaurateur, Anthony Crea, had so much trust in us and gave us his blessing with our first foot forward, so to speak. We drew inspiration from the old gated lane ways of Napoli which open up into hidden piazzas. The paved lane ways and bricked vaulted ceilings all have strong influences on the space in creating a brick-on-brick narrative.

 + Your favourite thing about this project?

Fluted brick laid walls which can be enjoyed in different light throughout the day.

+ Most challenging aspect?

Making sure our new found love for brick was balanced by the engineered acoustic ceiling, which also carefully hides all the services and lighting.

 + What did you learn during the project?

We have a new appreciation for brick. The brick-on-brick palette is monolithic and poetic at the same time. The repetition of the walls, bar and floors, has a peaceful quality about it and you often find patrons looking at the detail while in the space.

 + Any interesting/ funny/ quirky facts you could tell us?

The project consists of over 50,000 hand cut bricks which were laid and cut in 8 different ways – stack bond, brick bond, bolstered, facia tiled, fluted, end cut, side cut and vaulted.
Also, the Italian imported ‘Stefano Ferrara’ handmade pizza oven is the biggest oven you can get from the 100-year-old+ oven making brand.