Interior design: Parasite 2.0
Manufacturers: Bianco67, Qubo Design, Frigerio Tende
Project Mediation: Bianca Felicori
Clients: Laura Santosuosso, Denny Mollica
Photos: Claudia Zalla
The project of the Sandì restaurant marks a significant milestone for Parasite 2.0, a design studio founded in 2010 by Stefano Colombo, Eugenio Cosentino, and Luca Marullo. With Sandì, the team continues to make its mark on the international design and architecture scene, furthering their exploration of the relationship between spaces and their occupants. This project represents a continuity in their creative journey but also an evolution, being their first permanent venture in the restaurant industry. “Perhaps we can say that in a certain sense every project is an evolution,” they state, emphasizing how each new project adds a piece to a continuum of growth.
Located in a historically rich space in Milan, previously home to a 1960s bakery, Sandì is a family-run restaurant conceived by Laura Santosuosso and Denny Mollica, combining culinary authenticity with aesthetic refinement. The design was developed in close collaboration between designers, owners, and craftsmen, aiming to enhance the original features of the space without excessive design intervention.
Inspired by a “culinary recipe,” the approach values local and functional elements, creating a solid foundation for potential future modifications. A key concept of the project is the integration of tradition and innovation. In an era where design languages tend to homogenize, Parasite 2.0 aspires to create a “personal alphabet,” escaping the trap of fleeting trends.
They drew inspiration from Milanese bars and restaurants of the 1990s that are often fully renovated; hence, the choice of materials like green marine granite and dark woods. “We wanted to conceive a timeless, classic project,” they explain, “a hybrid between contemporaneity, visible in choices like the use of metals and polycarbonate, and tradition expressed in the choice of furniture, the design of the counter and its materials, curtains, and floors.” The restaurant features multiple character-defining design solutions. An emblematic example is the partial demolition of two walls: one that separated the dining room from the kitchen was transformed into a transparent filter of brushed steel and smoked polycarbonate, while the other was replaced by a curtain creating a private area around a large round table.
The counter, the central element of the project, acts as a ‘hinge’ connecting the restaurant’s spaces, combining functionality and aesthetics. Made of green marine granite, the counter integrates a staircase with a handrail and railing, providing visual harmony to all the designed elements.
