In the heart of Rome, halfway between the Pantheon and Piazza Navona, there is the new restaurant and cocktail bar designed by COLLIDANIELARCHITETTO. It is called LIÒN and is part of a historical building of the Fascist era: the bold lines and the saturated colors in the maximalist style, are opposed to the austerity of the Palazzo that welcomes it, to return fragments of the sweet life to the city.
In spite of the position, LIÒN does not target a tourist target: soft lights and mirrored surfaces invite you into a sophisticated restaurant, which with its pleasant terrace overlooks Largo della Sapienza.
Directed by the project, Emidio Pacini, his brother Fabrizio and Andrea Girolami, Roman entrepreneurs and owners of the Tridente Collection, who oversaw the recovery and revaluation of the entire area thanks to the construction of the Palazzo Navona hotel, the redevelopment of via del Melone and the opening of LIÒN, the last piece of their vision.
LIÒN is developed on two levels: the ground floor, completely projected to the outside thanks to the large windows outlined by a thick travertine frame, typical element of the Roman fascist architecture, welcomes the restaurant; while the basement, which is accessed through a marble staircase embellished with brass details, houses the service rooms, the kitchen and the wine cellar.
The circle is the generating matrix of the dynamic elements, with soft and sinuous lines, which characterize the interiors, from the subtle and arched friezes that envelop the space, to the deep three-dimensional lozenge screen of the lacquered octane color boiserie, to the curves of the series of supports which support the bottle holder suspended on the counter.
Custom-designed furniture, where form and function interpenetrate, such as cutlery trays or menu compartments decorated with metallic details, are distinguished by their pop aesthetic, in which the circle is still the protagonist.
Slender metal structures frame colored transparent elements, such as discs suspended above the black marble tables or the lozenge elements of the bottle rack above the counter, giving rise to a formal ethereal vocabulary with a contemporary flavor. The use of colored glass in paste for the realization of architectural decorative elements is a contemporary reinterpretation of the leaded glass of the early twentieth century; the choice of essential geometries and the use of primary colors are inspired, instead, by Wright's research on the dynamic relationship between light screens and continuous and fluid interior spaces.
The large columns covered in mosaic pierce the long counter with a turquoise diamond glass coating where, on a thick milled brass top, the acrobatic bar tenders mix their cocktails.
"LIÒN is a universe of material colors and geometries that blend with great formal coherence to offer customers an all-encompassing experience between design and cuisine", tells the architect Daniela Colli, founder of the studio.
Even the use of color is well modulated: ottoman, turquoise, red dominate the space and furnishings, from velvet chairs to the continuous sofa with enveloping shapes, creating a harmonious set of micro and macro elements that make up the project.
The refinement of shapes and proportions returns an eclectic and innovative, informal yet elegant environment, where you can take a break with style in the heart of Rome.
LIÒN ground level
LIÒN underground level
