The Marcante-Testa architectural studio has realised a multifunctional space for the production and promotion of the historic Select bitter, known as the basic ingredient for the Venetian Spritz, in a building in the Cannaregio district of Venice.
The Select brand was founded in Venice in 1920 and, starting from this indissoluble bond with the city, the Montenegro Group commissioned architects Andrea Marcante and Adelaide Testa with the intention of offering a reinterpretation of the unique characteristics of the Venetian spirit, thus reviving a piece of its history.
The space, formerly used as an artisan workshop for metalworking, has a projected surface area of 700 square metres on two levels and is divided into three functional zones: a production area for the maceration phases of Select’s main raw materials, an exhibition area where the historical link with the city of Venice is narrated, and a multi-purpose space characterised by a glass fusion bar/mixology counter. The latter, designed by the designers, becomes the first identity element of the brand, where the historic bottle and the elongated stem glass become an integral part of the furniture and lighting.
All the wooden trusses of the ceiling, coeval with the construction of the building, have remained in view and constitute the element of spatial continuity, while the elevated path of the exhibition areas, curated by Studio Fludd, allows the visitor to learn about the history of Select, its ties with the city and its most original and unusual places, as well as the various phases of production, thanks also to a direct view of the production area through a glass wall with a red filter.
The overall experience of the new space, marked by large curtains, is imagined as a theatrical sequence where the public becomes the protagonist.
The materials used in the project belong to historical local craft traditions, while the design is the result of a continuous stylistic reinterpretation according to the approach that characterises the Marcante-Testa studio’s research. The mosaics on a design at the entrance are inspired by sketches by Mariano Fortuny and handmade by the historic Fornace Orsoni, the Venetian-style sown floor is enriched with glass and marble inlays, while the glass-fusion bar counter coverings, typical of the Murano tradition, allude with their design to a slight wave motion, reminiscent of that typical of the lagoon.
The designers’ path wants to tell a story of a Venice that can draw on the uniqueness of its history through the lens of contemporaneity and give Select a home that highlights its past and future bond with this city.
For more information visit www.marcante-testa.it.
CREDITS:
Project: Ca’ Select
Studio: Marcante-Testa
Location: Venice, Italy
Year: 2023
Photos: Barbetta
