The brand, part of Apostoli Group, conceived the interiors of the more than 300 sqm lounge bar, open year-round, through a sophisticated interplay of contrasting colours and materials.
The promontory between Vietri sul Mare and Cetara, on the Amalfi Coast, is now home to the exclusive destination venue Giardini del Fuenti. Set within a distinctive terraced landscape inspired by the area’s historic vineyards, olive groves and citrus orchards, the venue comprises Volta del Fuenti, the Michelin-starred restaurant; Terrazza Limoneto, a panoramic terrace overlooking the Gulf of Salerno; Arena e Giardino for private events; Riva Beach Club; Riva Restaurant; and Caveau del Fuenti, a lounge bar spanning more than 300 sqm. Designed by Escape Design, the latter was conceived in response to the client’s desire to maintain year-round operations, ensuring the destination remains active throughout the winter months while offering food and beverage, banqueting and events services independent of the seasonal tourism cycle.
“When we conceived Caveau, we envisioned it as a precious setting: an evocative venue for private events, corporate meetings and exclusive evenings, combining the natural beauty of its surroundings with contemporary elegance. The result is a harmonious dialogue between architecture, design and nature, shaping a flexible and customisable space capable of responding to a wide range of needs. From the outset, our ambition has been to capture the most authentic spirit of the Amalfi Coast at Giardini del Fuenti, with deep respect for the local landscape and a clear commitment to a contemporary vision of hospitality,” comment Alessandra and Pier Luigi De Flammineis, owners of Giardini del Fuenti.
Escape Design has developed an interior that is deliberately identity-driven in relation to the wider complex, while at the same time adopting design choices that preserve the site’s unique identity, strongly defined by its natural character. Caveau del Fuenti is in fact entirely carved into the rock and unfolds over two underground levels, accessed via a staircase and a long corridor: already along the access route, the design language that defines the project as a whole becomes evident, articulated through contrasts in colour, materiality, and perception. Dark tones are set against gold; material textures are combined with precious finishes, geometric patterns with organic forms, and soft ambient lighting with architectural backlighting.
The visual focal point is a central pillar supporting the ceiling structure, articulated by exposed beams clad in plexiglass panels set within a gold and backlit mesh. This same element is also used in the access corridor as partition walls and as the entrance portal. The flooring is in Venetian seminato in night-blue and dark grey tones, punctuated by irregularly shaped rugs. The walls alternate between large sections of exposed natural rock and dark paint, deliberately left raw in finish, in dialogue with champagne-toned metal frames and precious materials such as marble and natural stone. These combinations also characterise the fitted walls of the wine and spirits displays, the wall-mounted bioethanol fireplace, and the bar counter.
With the exception of the latter, Escape Design’s project does not include any additional fixed elements, in order to ensure the space retains the necessary flexibility to accommodate multiple configurations and set-ups: the lounge areas and private room are furnished with soft seating elements upholstered in dark-toned fabrics and leather, with gold detailing, bespoke pieces created by Amaranto Luxury Custom Creator – who also produced the wall panelling, the cladding of the central pillar, the bar counter, the equipment, and the beams – together with coffee tables in Nero Marquina marble in different heights and configurations, and high stools for counter service.
Caveau del Fuenti offers an intimate and welcoming environment, with a deliberately soft atmosphere enclosed within a carefully preserved natural setting, and continues the research and evolution of Escape Design, a brand of Apostoli Group – a multidisciplinary practice creatively directed by Alberto Apostoli – which has already delivered hundreds of projects across the Food & Beverage, Hospitality, Wellness, Retail, and Workspaces sectors.
“Intervening in sites of high natural value is a privilege, but also a challenge: the protection of the ecosystem, and of the traditions associated with it, is in every respect a design driver that guides both aesthetic and functional decisions. Caveau del Fuenti owes its uniqueness to its specific configuration, carved into the heart of the cliff overlooking the sea: hence the intention to define it as a kind of casket, enhancing the container through precise choices related to its content.
The ability to integrate multiple disciplines – architecture, engineering, and design – is the defining hallmark of Escape Design: a transversal approach that transforms each project into a recognisable immersive experience, capable of enhancing both the identity and intended use of the place,” concludes architect Alberto Apostoli.
