2019 Gallery
Winner: Best Restaurant Design
Hassell for Di Stasio Citta
45 Spring Street
Melbourne, Victoria
Opposite Melbourne’s treasury gardens – the Milan end of Spring Street - is the new CBD location for Di Stasio. This art filled restaurant’s design was driven by instinct not fashion. Every surface is textural and hand finished, every piece of joinery/furniture customised to create a unique restaurant experience.
Jury Citation
Where much hospitality design these days relies on nostalgia for bygone eras, Di Stasio Citta on the edge of Melbourne’s CBD looks boldly forward. As much art installation as dining room, this project is so unique that the jury posits it will be impossible to imitate. The restaurant’s striking minimalism combines with modern uses of technology and a remarkable level of restraint. There is no signage on the exterior, and blank stucco walls have no switches, power points or control panels, while the bar hides all working areas. Speakers are integrated into the window frames; this is a design aesthetic that prioritizes what is not seen, and guest experience is the most important factor. For all of these reasons, the jury felt that Di Stasio Citta was a standout winner that will live on for many years to come.
