A floor made of tomato skins? Welcome to the Mutti Canteen by Carlo Ratti in Parma

The Mutti Canteen is set in the idyllic Parma countryside within the production grounds of one of the country's most famous food companies, the family-owned tomato empire, Mutti. The restaurant, designed by Italian architect Carlo Ratti (who is also curating by 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale) and titled Quisimangia (translating from Italian as 'Eating here'), is 'step two' in the architect and the Mutti family's plans together - following on from The Greenary, the sustainable family home of Francesco Mutti, the business' CEO, which Ratti created together with Italo Rota on a nearby site.

Step inside the Mutti Canteen by Carlo Ratti in Parma

With a tree growing inside it, The Greenary is certainly a piece of architecture to remember. The Mutti Canteen is still strongly connected to nature but offers a very different feel. Yet, it's still a project of high ambition and environmental aspiration.

'This project perfectly illustrates our philosophy of merging the natural with the artificial,' says Ratti, founding partner of CRA and a professor at MIT. 'This clod of earth rising from the ground creates a constant dialogue with nature, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the environment.'

Indeed, while the interior is a sleek, contemporary dining hall that is slated to be open to Mutti employees and the public alike (although the opening date for the latter is yet to be announced), the exterior is discreet, tucked under a lush, green roof. This way, diners become immersed in the landscape, looking out of large swathes of glazing that makes guests feel like eating within the surrounding meadow.

'We are pleased to continue our collaboration with CRA in bringing this visionary project to life. The Mutti Canteen is much more than a dining hall; it is the finest expression of our commitment to quality and sustainability,' says Francesco Mutti.

'By integrating the natural beauty of our surroundings with cutting-edge design, we are offering an environment where our employees can connect with both the land and each other in a meaningful way.'

The some-500 sq m indoor area is located within the 5m tall volume that appears partially submerged into the earth. Its bright orange feature floor has a special story behind it too, created using tomato skins - more than 3 tons of waste material in fact, all byproducts of Mutti’s production line.

Meanwhile, the culinary offerings inside are managed by Vicook, the professional catering branch of brothers Chicco and Bobo Cerea (who run the Three Michelin Star restaurant Da Vittorio near Bergamo).

carloratti.com