To give a second life to such an important piece of the city, we set ourselves the goal of transporting the future user to typically exotic landscapes, taking them to Greece, or Bali rather than Miami, far from the familiar urban scene.
On the Poetto seafront, the most important coastline in Sardinia, the Beach Club Restaurant “Albachiara” arises from the ashes of a building that had been abandoned for over twenty years. To give a second life to such an important piece of the city, we set ourselves the goal of transporting the future user to typically exotic landscapes, taking them to Greece, or Bali rather than Miami, far from the familiar urban scene. Hence, the need to recreate a warm atmosphere, fully benefiting from the proximity of the sea, the sand underfoot, and the sound of the waves. The architectural design relies on the lines of the structures and wooden surfaces that literally frame the building, giving the complex its own identity, rooting it in the sandy terrain as if it wanted to emerge with determination, grace, and elegance. A series of wooden platforms at different heights branch out from the building, constituting a real extension, up to the street entrance. Besides being a formal element of gradual connection between the asphalt and the sea, these platforms host various nature-inspired episodes that the visitor can discover step by step: lawns, plants, and shrubs of various kinds, water mirrors. These are all elements that characterize Albachiara as an experience where the built blends with the natural. The interiors are a choreography of materials that also here evoke contact with nature. Sunlight filters through the large windows and encounters marble, wood, straw, and reeds. The counter, a point of exchange and meeting, has been studied in detail as a large carved stone block that reproduces a series of geometric elements in relief, assembled to casually spell out the name of the place. The covered terrace at the restaurant level, with a direct view of the sea, is enriched by a series of straw chandeliers that create a suggestive and warm atmosphere even at night. Upstairs, the open-air flat roof allows for a panoramic view of the entire landscape. The sea blends with the built environment. For this purpose, we decided to “flood” the roof to allow the platforms to float on water mirrors, thus enhancing the perception of the marine element. The careful selection of furnishings and accessories is in total harmony with the context: wood and wicker weavings, everything plays on neutral hues and is inspired by the tones of the earth and vegetation. The combination of sofas and low tables, deep seating, and large cushions has allowed for the configuration of several small oases of relaxation that, punctuated by vegetation, give rise to individual episodes of intimacy. Albachiara thus establishes itself as an exotic-flavored refuge, far from the city’s chaos, enchanting the visitor with an architecture of clean lines but rich in fascinating complexities.