Giuseppe Gurrieri: Ecobar

The project involves the reuse of the ticket office of the adjacent multisport facility in Ragusa, Italy, abandoned since years and its reconversion into a coffee-bistro.

A survey showed that the building, erected in the late 80’s, has a square plan, a reinforced concrete structure, a flat roof made of brick and concrete, hollow brick infill walls and has openings on all the façades.

The project, in compliance with the current regulations and in respect of the budget, involves the realization of an outer skin made of low-cost and reused materials (Aquapanel® panels and carpentry wooden slats) that reshapes the building. The openings on the side façades (that look south on to the sports arena and north on to the under-construction building cooperatives) are shielded by the new filter; two large windows, the one on the entrance and the other one aligned on the opposite face, open up a view on the urban landscape. On the north façade, a part of the casing is designed to be eventually overturned creating outdoor tables. The building envelope serves also as a ventilated wall insulating from cold and heat especially during the summer when the external temperature gets close to 40 degrees. The casing not only shields the technical systems (boiler, air conditioner outdoor unit, water pump, alarm system) but also creates a perimeter cavity that works as a storage. Inside, a wall enamelled with a green polyurethane resin separates the work area from the customers’ area. Beams and pillars are left in fair-faced concrete and the floor is made of industrial concrete screed smoothened and treated with a transparent resin. The bar counter, as a full block, is made of iron sheets and the furniture recall vintage retro styles.

Ecobar, Ragusa, Italy
Program: bar
Architects: Giuseppe Gurrieri
Collaborators: Fabrizio Camillieri, Giulia Filetti, Valentina Occhipinti
Completion: 2015