Foster + Partners’ new restaurant, Zita, and contemporary art gallery are the latest additions to Monteverdi Tuscany. The luxury boutique hotel is set within a medieval hilltop village overlooking the Val d’Orcia.
The project restores a number of unused buildings in the village, transforming them into intimate spaces for dining, culture and entertainment. The design team have incorporated local materials and furniture, sourced within a 100-mile radius of the hotel, to support local artisans and minimise the project’s environmental impact.
Zita features a welcoming reception area with a carved stone and oxidised copper bar, a dining room and wine cellar, as well as spaces for private dining. The adjacent gallery has a library, for hosting talks and events, and a brick vaulted exhibition space for showcasing an extensive collection of artworks by prominent contemporary visual artists and new pieces by the hotel’s visiting artists-in-residence.
Zita is a contemporary take on the charm of the Tuscan countryside, featuring reclaimed materials - such as stone, brick and timber - and a colour palette of natural tones inspired by the hotel’s surroundings. The design incorporates greens drawn from the region’s vineyards and yellows that are influenced by the terra di Siena, or ‘Earth of Siena.’ Custom-designed elements, crafted by local artisans, are also featured prominently throughout the space, including leather wrapped wine bottle displays, carved timber waiter stations and a contemporary banquette that is made from traditional metals and original Tuscan textiles.
The gallery offers panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, creating an exquisite backdrop for the artworks on display. The design maintains and celebrates many of the buildings’ original features, including original timbers and brick ceilings. The existing walls have been kept in place and new openings are created to enhance the functionality of the space, while preserving the original arches.
A tailored lighting strategy has been developed by Foster + Partners’ lighting specialists, which accommodates changes to artworks in the gallery. Bespoke lighting fixtures can be easily adjusted, providing the curator with a greater level of flexibility and creative freedom.
