1895 Coffee Designers by Lavazza

1895 by Lavazza is a new brand of the Lavazza Group focused on single-origin and blended specialty coffees, which seeks to combine the search for origins from independent and sustainable plantations with the highest technology in coffee processing. The project involved the complete refurbishment of an existing building, located in the historic Settimo Torinese plant, which is both a high-tech production site and an accessible visitor centre. Architect Uboldi Paolo (UP-A), who was selected as 40under40 Winners 2020 by the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies, fully focused on the experience for visitors. After the renovation, there is total transparency of both the coffee selection cycle and its processing. The factory processes and machines are constantly in motion, but the visitor can walk past them safely thanks to a bridge above the machinery. The bridge covering is made of bamboo, a material selected for its characteristics in terms of mechanical resistance and sustainability, as well as being a very common grass in coffee production areas.

1895 by Lavazza is a new brand from the Gruppo Lavazza which is looking to combine the search for a single-origin coffee from an independent and sustainable plantation with top-quality technology in processing the bean.

The project involved fully renovating an existing building, located in the historical plant at Settimo Torinese, to transform it into both a high-tech production site and a place accessible for visiting. The architect, Paolo Uboldi (UP- A), who, thanks to this project, joined the top-40 list of the best under-40 architects in 2020 selected by the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies, concentrated entirely on the visitor’s experience.

The intervention of the architect Uboldi focused on the creation of three different interconnected areas that give visitors a chance to see both the beating heart of the plant which is constantly operating, even during visits, and to include the entire coffee cycle from the plantation to the cup, along an immersion experience path.

The first area, made up of an entrance and some teaching rooms, is separated from production and describes the search for the best coffee in the world. This area is dominated by screens and video descriptions so it is dark. The artificial lighting is provided by Palco spotlights which, with suitable accessories direct the light flow onto the walls where the captions linked to the exhibit are on display.

Having passed through the first rooms, the visitor immediately comes into contact with the central feature of the visit: the production plant. The machines' finishings have been carefully designed to make them all "1895 customised". The processes and factory machines are constantly in operation, but the visitor can walk through in complete safety thanks to a raised walkway produced in bamboo, a material selected for its characteristics in terms of mechanical resistance and sustainability, as well as being a plant commonly found in coffee production areas.

Particular attention is given to the roasting area, located at the start of the path, and the blending area where visitors can observe, from a small auditorium, the blending of the aromas invented by Luigi Lavazza. The itinerary rounds off with a coffee tasting in the elegant cafeteria, where the accent lighting is again provided by Palco spotlights on the base of a general lighting supplied by the Laser Blade XS.

Leaning on two circular counters, visitors can admire the factory through an immense fireproof window. During tasting, the coffee flavours and aromas find acknowledgement in the projection onto the golden cupolas that are part of the outfitting done by Ralph Appelbaum Associates in London.