As part of the CASACOR Brasília edition of Latin America's largest architecture, interior, and landscaping exhibition, Hersen Mendes Arquitetura designed Cozze Ristorante: a 250-square-meter restaurant that explores the intersection of architecture, art, and gastronomy. Reflecting this year's theme, “Sowing Dreams,” the restaurant demonstrates how thoughtful design choices today can shape enduring, engaging spaces for tomorrow.
Traditional Brazilian tiles and carbon-neutral quartz
“As it is an Italian restaurant, we sought references in Italian culture and aesthetics,” explains architect Matheus Mendes, co-founder of Hersen Mendes Arquitetura . “The textures and tones chosen evoke a contemporary interpretation of Italian tradition, transplanted to the urban context of Brasília.” Indeed, the restaurant feels both Tuscan and Brazilian. Its interior features a calming palette completed in earthen tones and natural materials. Among them: ochre quartzite, traditional Brazilian hydraulic tiles, and Silestone surfaces. Produced by Cosentino, Silestone is a carbon-neutral quartz material made with at least 20% recycled content, manufactured using renewable energy with a production method that incorporates water recycling. These varied materials contribute to the projects considered approach to sustainability in design.
Contrasting natural forms and organic textures
The layout explores contrasts between curved and angular forms, with planes that shape movement and define different atmospheres within the space. A textural stone wall by local artisans contrasts with the smoothness of the walls tiled with ceramics. A curved tiled counter leads the eye to the outdoor seating area, where a velvety blue continues the welcoming atmosphere of the interior. “Each configuration was designed to offer pleasant experiences through geometry, colour and textures,” explains architect Anastácia Hersen, cofounder of Hersen Mendes Arquitetura. It is, she continues, a “sensory experience,” that invites visitors to enjoy “fluid and expressive spaces.”
Local art and design takes center stage
The space is completed with original pieces by local artisans and designers from further flung places—a nod to the connection between the Brazilian creative scene and global networks of production. Among them are a series of benches built on site and four large-scale canvases by Brasília artist Victoria Serednicki. Commissioned for the space, these abstract paintings grant a sense of calm to the interior, combining the colour palette of the design, furtniture, and surrounding foliage. The interior opens onto an outdoor dining area built around a large existing tree, which together with shade-cloth provides reprieve from the heat of the day. Here, a sculptural wall-mounted work by Santos-based artist Jadir Battaglia adds a final note of interest to the space.
