At Via Buonarroti 11 in Milan, the A Iosa restaurant was born from the conversion of a small commercial space through a project that puts the material quality of surfaces at the center. The architectural intervention, deliberately essential, is based on a formal reduction that entrusts the material with the task of defining space, atmosphere and identity.

Walls and ceilings are treated with chromatic uniformity, creating a continuous background on which a few selected elements emerge, chosen for their physical and perceptual strength.

The dialogue between compact surfaces and metallic laminates

The focal element of the space is the counter, clad in Compacted Stone tiles in a deep dark red tone. A dense, material surface that introduces a strong and grounded tactile component.

In contrast and balanced with this presence are the tabletops, made with the HPL laminate 873 from Abet Laminati's Metalli collection. Here the surface takes on a more technical and contemporary character:

• reflective,
• precise,
• industrial in visual effect.

The metallic laminate amplifies the brightness of the environment, reflecting light and visually lightening the solidity of the surrounding surfaces. The result is a calibrated balance between opacity and reflection, between roughness and control.

Abet Metalli laminates: technical surfaces for contemporary interiors

In the A Iosa project, the Abet metallic laminates are not mere functional coverings, but become active architectural surfaces, capable of affecting the perception of space.

The Metalli collection stands out for:

• a technical and measured aesthetic,
• a uniform surface quality,
• a capacity to engage with raw and natural materials.

In the restaurant context, the HPL laminate helps define the visual rhythm of the venue, reinforcing its identity and introducing a note of controlled elegance, never decorative.

Custom furniture and material coherence

All furnishings, fixed and movable, were designed to measure by Sagoma Studio. The walnut-stained wooden chairs, in particular, are conceived to integrate naturally with the chromatic and material palette, without competing with the main surfaces.

This choice reinforces the idea of a space where each material has a precise role, contributing to a coherent and legible whole.

A project where surfaces build identity

The result is an intimate yet rich-in-character environment, in which compositional precision and the selection of surfaces outline a contemporary architectural language. In A Iosa, material is not a backdrop but a protagonist, and the surfaces become the true design tool.

A significant example of how metallic laminates, compact surfaces and architectural finishes can build identity, atmosphere and spatial quality even in limited square footage.