DAV’s pyramid-shaped wooden panels in the spotlight

Located on the second floor of the Allianz Tower, designed by the late Arata Isozaki and Andrea Maffei Architects, the recently opened DAV restaurant overlooks the Citylife complex, which has transformed Milan’s former fairground into a new city district with skyscrapers, residences and a large public park.

DAV is characterized by a single, fluid floor plan, which unfolds following the customer right up to the table. Andrea Maffei Architects used the same finishes, so as not to separate zones. Long wooden panels, composed of pyramids rotating in different ways and resembling fractals, form the key element of the project, extending coherently along one side of the building and serving as a backdrop to the main room. The first floor, which previously housed an office area with an outdoor terrace, is transformed to accommodate the first establishment in Milan of the three-Michelin-star Da Vittorio restaurant, in the new DAV concept, designed for a young, metropolitan clientele. The layout includes the kitchen on the north side, the guest reception area on the south side and the central area dedicated to the bistro, starting with an initial cocktail bar, then following the long glass façade to an outdoor terrace. The walls are covered in wood panels, while the rest of the partitions and floors are clad in Laminam Pietra Piasentina stoneware, in a light gray tone that defines a neutral, textured base. In addition to the bar counter, there’s another for hors d’oeuvres and a glass pizza box. Chefs are in full view as they concoct dishes. All counters are clad in light-gray pleated Thala stone, continuing the concept of a cool gray base against which contrasts the textural warmth of cherry-colored paneling. The atmosphere evokes a gentle character, while the focus is on the tables and what they present. The ceiling design follows the rhythm of the façade’s windows and doors, with long, dark-gray wood laths. Sloping planks determine the shape of the removable soundproofing panels and are coupled to points where adjustable spotlights are provided for concentrated lighting on the tables. The outdoor terrace features an additional cocktail and hors-d’œuvre bar in the center, also in Thala stone. Tables and seating around the bar follow the progression of the pools. Large rolling curtains cover the outdoor areas in summer.