The wizards at the historic Brera Pinacoteca have officially elevated the art of the museum cafe. Caffè Fernanda — named for Fernanda Wittgens, the gallery’s erstwhile director responsible for rebuilding the institution following its bombing in the Second World War — serves up coffee, cakes and evening aperitivo to the gallery-goers and art students that populate the institution’s hallowed halls. Based on design alone, the spot certainly does the visionary justice. Set in the former ticket office, the space was originally designed by midcentury hometown hero Piero Portaluppi. Milan-based rgastudio framed the architect’s broad arched windows with inky blue-painted walls but left much of the original space intact. ‘Like many historic buildings in Milan, Caffé Fernanda is the result of a series of interventions from different eras,' explains rgastudio’s Giuliano Iamele.
Original marble floors and door-frames were left in-situ, a heavy contrast to the delicately fluted exterior of the brass-topped Canaletto walnut wood bar, gold-toned, mirror-backed shelving unit and slick brass and rose-coloured table and chair sets by Pedrali.
Iamele cites the 17th-century painting by Pietro Damini, St. Bernard Converting the Duke of Aquitaine, hung behind the bar as the starting point of the project. Him and design partner Raffaele Azzarelli crafted the cafe’s proportions around its monumental size. Other gems from the gallery’s vast collection are also on display, a few even dedicated to the cafe’s namesake. Bertel Thorvaldsen’s The Three Graces sits alongside a bust of Fernanda Wittgens by Marino Marini as well as her portrait by Attilio Rossi. ‘We like the idea that historical architecture is constantly evolving,' says Iamele' But, if you ask us, we think it’s ok if this version sticks around for a while.
ADDRESS
Via Brera 28
-
Maserati unveils the Fuoriserie By Hiroshi Fujiwara MC20 Cielo modelHiroshi Fujiwara, the so-called Godfather of Streetwear, lends his talents to Maserati’s in-house bespoke division, creating a stylish take on the company’s open-topped supercar
-
Diffar is a new Japanese hair brand making perfume oil at the foot of Mount FujiDiffar, a newly founded Japanese beauty brand, creates perfume oils for hair in its Mount Fuji laboratory that are set to travel the world
-
New exhibition, ‘Architecture for Dogs' celebrates the human-canine bondAs a showcase of designs for dogs opens in Milan, we find out why inviting our four-legged friends into exhibitions benefits everybody.
-
Tour a new Sardinian hotel hidden among sand dunesHotel Le Dune Piscinas is a cosy five-star boutique resort surrounded by the untamed natural beauty of Sardinia’s Costa Verde
-
The world’s most enticing new hotel openingsExplore the best new hotels in the world, from beachfront living at Cheval Blanc Seychelles to otherworldly Zaha Hadid architecture at Me Malta
-
2,734 metres above the sea, a northern Italian hotel ensures peak happinessDesigned by Senoner Tammerle Architekten, hotel Santnerpass Hütte offers the perfect off-grid retreat amid a Unesco-protected landscape
-
Retreat to Lecce’s reborn Palazzo Zimara, a baroque gem from 1557Architect Raffaele Centonze transforms the 16th-century Palazzo Zimara into an 18-room boutique hotel in the historic city centre
-
Stella D'Italia is a Renaissance haven that tells a story of FlorenceStella D’Italia is the Florentine boutique escape by local hoteliers Matteo Perduca and Betty Soldi to know
-
Experience Cardo Roma, the contemporary Roman holiday you didn’t know you neededCardo Roma, the inaugural property of Cardo Hotels, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s Autograph Collection, caters to those seeking to merge business and pleasure
-
La Pergola, one of Rome’s most coveted reservations, gets a sumptuous renovationJouin Manku re-envisions La Pergola, the acclaimed restaurant atop Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel
-
Surrender to these six swim-perfect outdoor hotel poolsDiscover the best outdoor hotel pools, from Amankila’s aquatic triptych by Ed Tuttle to Nicolas Party’s swimmable artwork at Le Sirenuse
