In Positano, an evocative place in the Amalfi Coast, the Neapolitan architect and interior designer Valentina Autiero designed the spectacular restoration of the Mediterranean bar Le Tre Sorelle, one of the most ancient restaurants of the area overlooking directly the Spiaggia Grande.
The sea is the key player, and it visually pervades the environments that compose a volumetric box built on the passage between the dining room and the kitchens. Prospective lines, objects, materials and surfaces, lights and shadows, solids and voids have multiform – often unexpected and unpredictable – roles, and every day they weave the harmonious storyline of the domestic mise en scene.
The cosy, spacious and functional volume is tailor-made according to the specific needs of the structure, which is a bar with a Mediterranean esprit, where you can sip cocktails and savour light meals, or simply have a coffee, but also a well-equipped space that acts as a container and an exhibiting area that highlights the catch of the day.
The fluid, soft and sinuous linearity of Le Tre Sorelle environment is strongly characterised by the presence of three oval openings with different volumes: a clear and symbolic homage to Giovannina, Adelina and Nannina, the three sisters who in the early 50s started their business in the restaurant industry, which has been handed down over the generations up to this moment.
The two smallest ovals, placed laterally, serve as a bottle rack, while the central one – wider and predominant – hosts the corner bar and allows the direct interaction with the bartender. The chromatic monotony of the light blue of the sea that characterises the whole surface of the volumetric box is interrupted by the presence of a series of metal pierced panels with a contrasting copper nuance that enhances the visual continuity compared to the chromatic mood of the Osteria. These elements define some key points in the interpretation of the space.
Thanks to the backlit component, the two lateral openings turn into a hypnotic backdrop that highlights and enhances the exhibiting space used as a bottle rack, while stretching to cover unidirectionally the display cases dedicated to the catch of the day. In the central oval, the panel has a wider pattern, and becomes a container for fruit and citrus: another touch of colour that gives a lively spirit to the bar area.
