Architect Fabrizio Casiraghi on working with Hong Kong’s nightlife king
The Paris-based Italian talks about how his first Hong Kong project – Gilbert Yeung’s Cassio lounge bar and restaurant in Central – uses his trademark blend of design styles without a single East-meets-West cliché in sight
What have you been working on since you set up your own studio in 2015? “My first project was [candle-maker] Cire Trudon’s first boutique in New York and I recently finished Cassio, a lounge bar and restaurant in Hong Kong. In Paris, I’ve designed a restaurant [Cafe de l’Esplanade] and a few boutiques. And I am now completing a residential project in Venice.”
How would you describe your style? “My work is about mixing different eras and foreign influences to create a unique atmosphere and special feeling for each space. I like to add unexpected details to create contrasts, such as the flashy neons with Japanese ceramics in Trudon’s boutique, or Napoleon chairs, Chinese lanterns and African fabric in a French restaurant in Paris.
It is about bringing an exotic touch to the local environment. For instance, at Cassio, I’ve created a 1950s Riviera feeling where everything, from the Italian-style furniture to the colourful chandeliers inspired by Carlo Mollino, is designed by me. This is something that was missing in Hong Kong: a contemporary place with a vintage twist.”
