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Description submitted by the project team. Barcelona-based architecture firm External Reference, led by Italian PhD architect Carmelo Zappulla, has been commissioned to design CAAA by Pietro Catalano, the second restaurant from acclaimed chef Pietro Catalano. Located in Lucerne, Switzerland, the space offers an exclusive experience that fuses gastronomy, design and technology. The collaboration between Zappulla and Catalano showcases avant-garde design, telling a story of craftsmanship and setting the mood for a distinctive dining experience that engages all the senses. Inspired by the rich culinary traditions of the transalpine region and the landscape itself, External Reference created an interior that pays homage to the magnificence of the Alps. With an area of 85 m2 and capacity for up to 16 diners, the restaurant’s dining area is characterized by a predominantly white color palette.
The roof, constructed from custom 3D-printed organic pieces, follows the curves and shapes of the snow-capped mountains, enveloping visitors in a unique space. External Reference sought to bring to life the idea of dining in an enchanted place at the end of a snowfall, when the snow covers every imperfection and becomes a perfect veil, illuminated by a warm sun that softens the absolute white of the snow. A luminous cavity manages to reproduce the chromatic effects that characterize snowy landscapes, transforming the general atmosphere of the restaurant.
Showing a strong commitment to design at all scales, each piece of furniture is custom designed by the External Reference team. Inspired once again by the serene tones of the mountain climate and the essence of its forests, ash wood has been selected for the chairs and tables, evoking the delicacy of the tree branches. Meanwhile, stainless steel, glass and marble flooring complement the restaurant’s bar. Adopting a monochromatic and neutral color scheme not only creates a delicate atmosphere, but also allows the architectural elements to enhance the quality of the chef’s creations without competing with them. For this reason, cellulose, with its characteristic off-white color, was chosen as the main material.
Technologies beyond the design process. With the emergence of new applications of artificial intelligence and software, a fascinating prospect of immediate visualization of ideas through text opens up. For example, tools like Dall-E and Midjourney exemplify this trend, allowing for the rapid translation of ideas that were previously confined to simple sketches. This paradigm shift inaugurates an area in which artificial intelligence not only suggests, but also generates unexpected results, actively contributing to the creative process. “For me, the topic of artificial intelligence is a way to replace that ability that architects or designers in general have lost, which is the ability to draw freehand. It is an exciting challenge, since a typically visual thought process “It must be translated into words, creating a narrative that the machine can understand.” says Carmelo Zappulla.
The next phase involved the latest parametric design tools. External Reference computationally analyzed the morphologies of the snow-covered surfaces to create a structure that takes shape from this digital study and unfolds on the restaurant’s roof. After obtaining multiple references, the process continued by transferring the morphology of the roof to digital models that provided volume and defined dimensions, allowing its subsequent 3D printing. Like a puzzle, the surface was divided into 63 manageable pieces, each measuring 80×80 cm, facilitating its manufacture and subsequent assembly on site.
In the final phase, each piece was printed on cellulose. Cellulose represents a more sustainable biomaterial compared to thermoset polymers. For Pietro Catalano’s CAAA restaurant in Lucerne, External Reference chose to use, for the first time in the field of architectural design, a material obtained from wood waste, combining natural ingredients such as lignin and cellulose. Its excellent mechanical and physical properties make it perfect for high-quality 3D printing. In addition, it is capable of storing CO2, is completely biodegradable and can be recycled after use. Forming white, organic shapes, each of the elements were assembled together to form the distinctive ceiling of the dining area. In this project, External Reference, as in its long journey of exploring 3D printing applied to design and architecture, has relied on the experience of La Maquina for the execution of the project.
External Reference’s pioneering approach constantly redefines the boundaries of creativity and opens up exciting new possibilities in the fields of design and architecture. Chef Catalano joined External Reference’s visionary design to mark an innovative collaboration that integrates design as a new ingredient to create unique experiences at Pietro Catalano’s CAAA restaurant.
