MARZO Terrace
Summer Cafe

EXTERIOR / 2018

Location
{ About the project }
Area
Status
Project author
Almaty, Kazakhstan
141 m²
realized
Vassilyadi Marina
1st place in the category “BEST HORECA PROJECT” at the International ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN LEADERS Award within the framework of the ARCHICA 2023 Congress
Vassilyadi Marina
Photographer
Award

Task and starting point:

Our regular clients had the opportunity and need to organize a summer café in the area adjacent to the existing café on the territory of MART VILLAGE shopping mall. A year earlier, our studio had designed the MARZO Italian Café with full implementation support. The area designated for the summer café had a trapezoidal shape: in front of it was a children's playground, on the left was the main entrance to the mall, and on the right was a pedestrian area and a driveway leading to the parking lot behind the building.
The client wanted to have the option of using the covered part of the summer café during the off-season and winter with temporary glazing or to store summer furniture under the canopy. One of the site-specific challenges was a drainage pipe within the summer café area that discharged large volumes of rainwater from the building's roof during storms. Additionally, the paving had a noticeable slope. The covered area of the summer café also needed to accommodate a grill smoker with a small workspace for the chef.
Taking into account all the input and requirements, we divided the entire area of the summer café into two zones: a summer terrace in front of the main facade and a covered veranda with the option of installing panoramic glazing. The terrace area was 70 m², and the veranda area was 71 m².

The terrace can accommodate around 20 guests, while the veranda holds up to 50 seats. The veranda includes a work area for the chef and one service station for waitstaff. For the summer terrace, we designed a mobile cart-kiosk equipped with an ice cream machine.
{ Planning }

About the Finishes and Design Solutions:

The overall style of the summer veranda and terrace fully continues the aesthetic of the previously developed and implemented entrance facade of the café. The design was inspired by traditional 19th-century trattoria and osteria exterior and interior finishes.
The color palette includes black metal, turquoise-green and mustard-yellow tones, white-painted and dark-stained wood, linen curtains, and umbrellas.
The veranda flooring is made of decking boards, raised 150 mm above ground level to protect from stormwater and to conceal the drainpipe exit from the shopping mall building.

The furniture for the veranda was custom-designed to fit the space, with all soft parts being removable.

Process:

In addition to the summer café, a photo zone was developed for the restaurant along the wall at the main entrance to the mall.
The photo zone was created using mock facades of Italian houses, decorated with stacks of hay, planters, and a bicycle.