Borromini
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Location: Philadelphia, PA
Completion Date: 2025
Client: Starr Restaurants
Interior Designer: Paisley Design
Architect of Record: Stokes Architecture + Design
Type: Hospitality
Status: Built
Photography: Jason Varney
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Borromini is an ode to the timeless rituals of Italian life. Housed in a transportive, storied space that feels both grand and familiar, Borromini brings the regional dishes and layered design sensibilities of Italy to Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square.
The lighting strategy establishes hierarchy and atmosphere through a warm, low-contrast palette. Decorative luminaires anchor moments of intimacy, while concealed architectural lighting washes textured plaster, tile vaults, and frescoed surfaces to reveal material depth.
Focused accents articulate the bar and dining tables, creating rhythm and visual cadence, while exterior illumination offers a restrained glow that extends the interior’s warmth into the street.
