ZANFRETTA GELATERIA
Florence, Italy
FALL, 2025
A nighttime gelato and amaro bar designed around the overlooked transition between dinner and nightlife. Zanfretta blends hospitality, atmosphere, and ritual into an immersive late-night experience rooted in discovery, wonder, and lingering.
PROJECT DETAILS
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Identified a gap between dessert culture and nightlife culture in Florence
Traditional gelaterias felt transactional and disconnected from evening atmosphere
Opportunity to create a hospitality concept centered around lingering, discovery, and transition
Designed specifically for the neighborhood’s late-night rhythm
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To create an immersive after-dinner environment that feels transportive, intimate, and slightly surreal.
Inspired by Italian nightlife, retro futurism, and cinematic atmosphere
Exploring themes of wonder, mystery, and cultural duality
Designed to encourage slower social interaction rather than quick consumption
Creating a seamless transition between hospitality and nightlife
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Reflective stainless steel and glass block create layered visual depth
Saturated purple and green tones reinforce the nocturnal atmosphere
Vestibules function as portals between street and interior
Lighting differentiates active service zones from slower social spaces
Spatial zoning supports both grab-and-go and lingering behaviors