2021 Gallery

An Italian restaurant housed in the recently opened Parramatta Square building, CicciaBella avoids the dull over-industrial treatments often associated with new builds, instead drawing upon a sophisticated suite of materials to create a truly unique eatery. The jury engaged with the imaginative, unexpected use of textures such as coir matting, unpainted Besser block, open-seamed suede, crushed cardboard cladding and chiselled bluestone. The most playful touches include galvanized steel walls, some of which conceal storage, and tie-dyed cotton banners and concrete columns etched with graffiti by street artist Benzo. The designers intended to reference the natural stone, dark timber and leather of a traditional trattoria, but rather than a literal interpretation, they’ve created an entirely new venue that’s distinctive, timeless and frequently fascinating – “a difficult thing to do when there’s no existing condition to draw on,” as one juror noted.