The sea and all that it has to offer in 220 m2 in Belgravia, one of the districts of central London. It is not an aquarium, but rather a restaurant whose interior designer, chef and managers are all “made in Sardinia.” Crossing the threshold of Olivomare you enter into a world of pleasant surprises created by architect Pierluigi Piu, who drew inspiration for the underwater world. Starting from the large wall in the main room, where a school of fish swims undisturbed like in an animal pattern by Maurits Escher.

The panel measures roughly 9 meters in length and each portion of color was painstakingly cut by laser from sheets of plastic laminate and overlapped on the vertical surface like a sort of giant puzzle. Bringing life to the movement of the fish, a linear sequence of tubular luminescent lamps made of wafer-thin nylon mesh hangs from the ceiling: the Bigoli lights by Innermost resemble jellyfish or sea anemone floating among the waves and thus likely to get caught in the fishing nets reproduced in the mega lozenge design of the glass wall that divides the dining room from the entrance hallway.

The voyage out to sea continues inside the restaurant along the matte resin flooring and ends at the “beach” of the back room and its relief wave wall that mimics a sandy surface sculpted by the wind. In this space bathed in natural light from the wide skylight and behind flush-fitting doors lie the coatroom and restrooms covered with a weave of red coral branches. Intricate engraving is featured also on the double layer of thick plastic laminate that covers the walls and ceiling.

White reigns supreme: flooring, walls, ceilings, lamps and furnishings (seating is suspended on stainless steel rods in the main room, the Corian® bar, the tables and chairs), and even the accessories seem to float in an infinite, timeless space, as if on a raft afloat at sea. For the exterior, color is daring and dominant. The street-front façade is a deep violet and was especially re-designed to accommodate the delicatessen shop “Olivino” annexed to the restaurant. Architect Pierluigi Piu designed every detail, experimenting with new interior design solutions and original material applications.

The vertical surfaces become vibrant matter to mold and on which to engrave. Herein lies the pleasure of overlapping layers and reliefs to create visually-striking effects. The space expands beyond the shell that contains it and beyond matter, which becomes plastic, without trade secrets. Olivomare is a cutting-edge venue thanks to its dramatic effects and workmanship, but above all for its stunning interpretation of the traditions and flavors of Sardinia. The design offers no compromises (the color blue is nowhere to be found), clean lines, a restricted color scheme, essential forms and functionality, and features high technical-artisanal craftsmanship filled with a passion that is 100% Mediterranean.