A motorcycle workshop seems like a strange location for a lounge and bar, but for Visual Display it made the perfect setting for Filling Station Motel. ‘It proved to be perfect both from a commercial and stylistic point of view, giving form and substance to the project,’ says the design studio. The refurbishment of the former service station involved restoration of the original doors, windows and cladding, as well as the adjacent outdoor area which has been turned into parking for motorcycles.

Comprising a bar, lounge, motorcycle workshop and concept store, the multifunctional space is visually characterized by wire mesh divisions, black arches and large windows, reminiscent of garage doors, which confine the different areas. Versatility was key for the team, and the space can also be used as a venue for music events, parties, business presentations or exhibitions.

Top: Glazed portholes provide customers in the lounge area a means to watch the mechanics at work in the workshop while relaxing in the lounge; Located just outside the historic centre of Udine, in north Italy, Filling Station Motel appears from the outside to be nothing more than a gas station. | Middle: The café provides a place for motorcycle aficionados to come together for a drink, perform repairs and customize their bikes. | Bottom: The bar is custom-made in cement with a dark-wood counter top and completed with black metal storage racks.

Sleek and stylish furniture is used to define the new elements from the old, creating a chic environment which visually links the building’s industrial history to its new use. ‘The combination of looks, styles and spaces becomes an integral part of the experience that makes Filling Station Motel retro and innovative at the same time,’ Visual Display concludes.

visualdisplay.it

This project was featured in the latest volume of our hospitalty-design series, Night Fever 6. Get your copy here.