Enjoy a morning espresso and a cornetto (Italian for croissant) at Caffè Nazionale. Designed by architecture studio AMAA, the striking coffee shop, bistro, and bar is situated within the industrial town of Arzignano, located between Verona and Venice in northern Italy.
Caffè Nazionale, Arzignano
The café occupies a former town hall, originally designed by Italian architect Antonio Caregaro Negrin in the 19th century. Honouring this heritage, AMAA founders Marcello Galiotto and Alessandra Rampazzo balanced historical elements with modern interventions in their design of the new space, allowing Caffè Nazionale to convey a narrative that feels both regal and relaxed.
Its entrance is located at the centre of the palazzo’s collonaded wing. Behind a door crafted from burnished iron with a diamond-shaped design and a serpentine marble handle, lies a space where openness is key. High ceilings and a small inner courtyard bring a theatrical touch not usually associated with café culture.
There's a polychrome mosaic floor, while a coffered ceiling, made from multilayered wood, helps with interior lighting and acoustics. Across the space, some areas might appear ‘unfinished’; this is an intentional touch that enhances the project’s raw and honest aesthetic. AMAA incorporated tracery made from folded and perforated stainless steel sheets, paying homage to the building’s Gothic architecture.
An open kitchen is set to the left of the entrance, and a stairway between the kitchen and the bar leads to an upper dining room. Adjacent to this, behind a perforated steel wall with a large pivot door, is a tranquil vestibule, which provides an unexpected, meditative area for transitioning from the café to the birch garden.
Furnishings were created in collaboration with Italian designer Alessandro Neretti. Integrated wooden tables and benches are traditionally styled, resembling church pews. However, the design inspiration was in fact drawn from benches found in the New York subway and the work of American artist Donald Judd.
Caffe Nazionale is located at Piazza Libertà, 10, 36071 Arzignano, Italy.