Work in progress

By the time the construction process started, we had an empty, run-down lot and just 54 days to go until the opening. On the launch night, the Refettorio still didn’t have a working stove, instead borrowing a camping stove from one of its neighbouring buildings. But we didn’t let that detract from our ideal of a space where everyone could feel at home. We were determined to put in the effort to ensure that our plans for the space evolved, rather than being compromised by time constraints, incorporating already-present features like bare brick walls into the design.