Italian architect Fabio Fantolino has completed Lève Office Bar, a Space Age-inspired bar in Turin, combining cantilever chairs, wood panelling, mirrored surfaces and stainless steel finishes to reinterpret the aesthetics of post-war American workplaces.
Located in the heart of Turin, the hospitality venue occupies a 1920s building that previously housed a café and a bookshop. Rather than preserving the two separate functions, Fantolino unified the property into a single venue organised across three interconnected spaces inspired by retro office environments.
Designed to serve professionals throughout the working day, Lève Office Bar accommodates breakfast meetings, coffee breaks, lunches and evening aperitivos while reflecting the changing relationship between work and hospitality.
“The 1960s were chosen as the reference period because they marked a time when offices were regarded as prestigious and carefully designed workplaces – the ‘office bar’ concept, on the other hand, reflects the way we work today,” Fantolino said.
“It is conceived as a space that supports the everyday rhythm of contemporary office life, whether for breakfast, lunch, coffee breaks, or aperitivos, while also acknowledging that work can naturally extend into hospitality spaces.”
Retro office design defines each interior zone
Visitors first encounter a striking stainless steel bar paired with a bold red enamel wall panel, immediately establishing the project’s futuristic visual identity. Meanwhile, a herringbone floor of sandy-coloured bricks transitions into green resin flooring that defines the adjoining seating area.
Banquette seating upholstered in warm fawn leather lines the walls, while red café tables and brown-and-chrome cantilever chairs reinforce the project’s mid-century influences.
“The three areas reinterpret the concept of an open-plan office, each through a distinct design language,” Fantolino continued.
Beneath the existing mezzanine, mirrored ceiling panels reinterpret traditional suspended office ceilings while expanding the perception of space. Furthermore, integrated lighting panels, wall sconces and vintage-inspired pendant lights strengthen the Space Age atmosphere.
Mezzanine evokes workplace cubicles through contemporary hospitality
The mezzanine level offers the strongest reference to 1960s office planning. Here, high-backed bouclé sofas arranged back-to-back create cubicle-like seating zones that encourage intimate conversations rather than private workspaces.
“The mezzanine introduces office-style partition elements to create a more intimate and structured atmosphere,” said Fantolino.
Throughout the project, neutral finishes provide a calm backdrop, while accents of green, mustard, and deep red add warmth and visual rhythm. At the same time, polished chrome, enamel surfaces and leather upholstery introduce contrasting textures that reinforce the retro aesthetic.
“The intention was to evoke the feeling of stepping back into the 1960s, creating an immersive atmosphere that feels almost like entering a time machine while remaining fresh and contemporary,” Fantolino concluded.
By merging workplace nostalgia with contemporary hospitality design, Lève Office Bar expands Turin’s design landscape while demonstrating how adaptive reuse can transform historic commercial spaces into immersive architectural destinations.