Il Guscio (the translation is “The Shell”) is the new trendy restaurant, pizzeria, aperitif spot, projected and furnished by Costa Group in collaboration with Studio Archinside, opened last spring in the historical Corvetto Square, in the centre of Genova.
The name recalls an ambience precious and cosy. The spot has born from the experience of Riccardo and Tatiana Marianini, owners and administrators, who already opened one place like this in Sardinia and another one in a different zone of Genova.
The desire was to bring in Genova something different: a cosmopolitan and elegant space for a medium-high target.
The spot is placed in a historical square of Genova and the impact is highly scenographic. Firstly you can see the enormous glass door that reveals the unusual internal: an elegant and spacious aperitif spot from whom start the great staircase to the upper level. Beside the stairs the wall is entirely covered by black and white damask wallpaper.
The space in the inferior level shows warm tones with the recreation of a familiar space: an apparently aged library – wine shop made of white lacquered wood and a graphic who tells “RELAX yourself”
In fact the atmosphere is relaxed and hospitable thanks to the comfortable sofas with rollè made of old leather, lighted from the bottom by a blue light, suitable for drinking an aperitif or having a snack.
The counter is really elegant, with iroko on the top and black and white ceramic tiles on the front. Beside the counter there are two false windows back lighted.
At the end of the spot there is the pizza’s counter with a black glass front. The working area is protected by a glass wall. In the zone under the great staircase there is a machine to distribute wine and a water showcase.
From the upper floor one can look down on the ground floor or take a look to the plasma pending from the ceiling.
In the upper level firstly you can find on your right a office zone used as service zone. On the left there’s the restaurant zone: two big white wooden tables in Baroque style, followed by two white tables with black seats. Over those there are refined glass showcases which show water’s bottles as they are delicate perfumes.
On the right side, after the office, there are brown sofas with rollè, lighted from the bottom by an orange light. On the walls a warm and intense graphic recalls the rich houses of ancient Rome. These two parallel zones are separated from the ending zone of the shop, a open privé, by a very particular library. In this area it’s possible to sit down comfortably on a modern red sofa, and by your side you can see an interesting wall made by wooden trunks lighted by shining leds.
The gastronomical offer of Il Guscio is varied: there are a lot of first dishes, especially spaghetti proposed in 40 different recipes. Furthermore you can eat pizza and “camicia” (a kind of hot sandwich, made with the pizza dough, baked and stuffed in many different ways). The menu joins traditional dishes with a lot of light recipes.
The spot may contain 120 people seated. Opening time: from 12.00 a.m to 12.30 p.m.
Design and Project Costa Group (arch. Sara Paveto) in collaboration with the Architecture studio Archinside.
IL GUSCIO, GENOVA
Piazza Corvetto
16125 Genova
0039 010 3770086
