Nice Projects Weaves a Narrative of Cultural Authenticity at Somma Singapore.

As if entering a subterranean wine cellar, vaulted ceilings capture and envelope the kitchen, grill room, restaurant, private dining room and wine cellar that make up Somma, the Puglian restaurant by chef Mirko Febbrile, situated in Singapore and designed by London and Sydney-based studio Nice Projects. In interpreting Italy, the designers have looked to highly custom elements, sourcing from the motherland and creating a textural and tonal palette that immediately takes you to the South of Italy, without all the chequered tablecloths and wine bottled candles having to cast heavy hints at the cuisine created within.

A modern take that combines the intimacy of an Italian palazzo and the elegance of fine dining spaces, Somma plays with tones and textures of red travertine, grey marble, leather and peach linen upholstery, with a focus on natural materials. Subtle nods to the traditional Puglian lace workshops are evident in the patterned sheer curtains, also paying homage to the landscape of the region.

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It’s a balancing act, the ethereal elements of lace and linen working together with a selection of solid stone to emulate the history, heritage and humanity that so succinctly captures the Italian approach to life. A key design feature is the tiled wall in the main restaurant. Puglian ceramic artist Vincenzo Del Monaco handmade 230 ceramic tiles, spanning a dramatic 6.5 metres, framing the dining room. He also collaborated with Nice Projects to create signature crockery for the restaurant.

Weaving and embroidery laboratory Fondazione Le Costantine, based in the small southern Italian town of Casamassella, was commissioned to create three handwoven, intricately designed rugs for the lounge area, wine cellar and private dining room.

Sourcing unique furniture and fixtures played a key part in the development of the interiors. Nice Projects introduce a large vintage pine table, salvaged from an early 20th-century monastery in Puglia. Galleria wall lights by Ignazio Gardella and frosted glass pendant from Bowles and Linares induce the feeling of being in a rural Italian home or a Milanese coffee shop. This is reflected in the mirrored walls that line the 14-metre-long red travertine counter, the back of which references (albeit loosely) baroque Puglian antiques. Dotted throughout, we see custom concrete cast tables from Cimento in Milan, most notably in the wine cellar where chef Febbrille’s exquisite cheese selection is displayed amongst the botts.

It’s no small feat to ‘do Italian’ in a new and fresh way, avoiding the cliches and stale colour schemes that have become synonymous with the culture over time. Here, we see a clean approach, one that is sensitive to the restaurant’s Modus Operandi, with gentle and subtle nods to the chef’s heritage and an outcome that is refined and just a little bit nostalgic.

Best of Hospitality Interiors & Architecture | 2024 Yellowtrace Archive.

From Australia to Aspen via Amsterdam, Paris to West Hollywood via Singapore, these venues embraced diverse narratives, blending cultural influences while redefining our expectations of gathering places.

[Images courtesy of Nice Projects. Photography by Lisa Cohen.]