The Street Smash Burgers project involved the redevelopment of a ground floor space in the center of Milan with the aim of transforming it into a contemporary environment dedicated to street food. Commissioned to carry out the project, Solum Studio—in collaboration with Gianmario Vecchiato and Giulia Grifoni—chose to interpret the space as an extension of the street: an open, inclusive, and direct space, designed to accommodate the flow of urban traffic and accompany customers from the threshold to the open kitchen.
The most significant architectural gesture was to set the glass window back from the original alignment of the façade to create a micro-urban square – a sort of transition area between the exterior and interior. From there, a visual axis guides the gaze towards the counter at the back of the restaurant, the functional and symbolic hub of the experience.
In a project heavily influenced by budget constraints, PolyPiù polycarbonate proved to be an important design tool. The sheets were used to cover the entire ceiling and meet several needs at once: to conceal the systems, visually reduce the height of the volume, and create spatial continuity between the entrance and the kitchen, which is located in a position constrained by health and hygiene requirements.
The goal was to introduce a light and ethereal architectural element, almost like a suspended “sky”: translucent polycarbonate, treated like a series of light curtains, filters the light and accompanies the internal path, reinforcing the idea of a fluid and continuous space.
To meet specific hygiene requirements, the kitchen area was clad in compact polycarbonate, maintaining material consistency with the rest of the ceiling while ensuring functional and easily sanitizable surfaces.
Overall, in addition to ensuring optimal cost control, PolyPiù polycarbonate sheets have made it possible to lighten the perception of a space dominated by raw concrete and stainless steel, introducing a luminous component that “softens” the urban and minimalist aesthetics of the room. The exposed construction system interacts with a suspended element that brings order to the space, guides the eye, and enhances the kitchen as a large, scenic niche.
Once the project was completed, Solum Studio reaffirmed the validity of its choice: polycarbonate would be used again, with a greater thickness to increase the rigidity of the sheets, confirming its effectiveness as a technical and architectural material even in high-intensity contexts.
Photo Credit: ©Nicolò Panzeri
