Oi Marì by Mancastudio
The restaurant pizzeria Oi Marì designed in 2018 by Mancastudio is located in the heart of Matera in Italy. It is divided into different environments dug into the limestone, each with a different shape due to conformation of the cave created by man over the centuries.
About Oi Marì
Crafting Spaces by Taking Away
At first, creating new spaces in the cave meant taking some away. We carved into the rock to make more room.
We think those behind the Sassi removed, instead of adding. Our project, in the same way, followed this idea.
Oi Marì’s Journey from Naples to Matera
Back in 1999, the owners of Oi Marì, both from Matera and Naples, dreamed of mixing Neapolitan food with Materan culture. Over time, their love for food shaped a unique cooking style. Today, the restaurant offers a wide, welcoming space. Simple design touches highlight the natural beauty.
Sara, Mary, and Luca wanted a fresh feel for Oi Marì. While pizza still shines on the menu, their food has grown into simple, yet classy dishes. They hoped for an inside look that felt like their modern kitchen but nodded to old pizzeria traditions.
Merging Yesterday and Today in Design
Building on their “remove, not add” idea, we picked a few bold design pieces. From the entrance, visitors move through rooms, each different from the last. One big highlight is the wine storage, holding over 2,000 bottles. Proudly, Luca shows off this collection, set in old spots and framed with modern glass and metal.
Each room celebrates the cave’s raw charm. We kept the rock walls bare and added some handy furniture. We crafted all items locally. The lights, looking like cut pizza rollers, link old stories with new ones. These fixtures light up the place, bridging gaps between the past and what’s to come.
Blending Timeless with Fresh
We aimed to mix the old with the new in this project. Our design offers both useful features and a cozy feel. By expanding the kitchens and spotlighting forgotten spaces, we added fresh charm. These tweaks made the space even more exciting, offering guests new cozy corners to find.
In the end, our choice of materials matched the place’s natural feel. We used basic, warm-colored stuff, ticking both pretty and handy boxes.
Photography by Pierangelo Laterza
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- by Matt Watts
