Braille on the menu and tactile display cases. A month ago, a restaurant was opened in Bologna for visually impaired and blind people. Carefully thought out place is gaining popularity among citizens
Menus are read here, touching the paper with their hands. And to feel the whole essence of the institution, you must trust the sensations of your own fingertips. The Other Dimension (L'Altro Spazio) is a restaurant created especially for visually impaired people. Less than a month ago, he opened his doors in Bologna on Via Belvedere, one of the most picturesque streets of the historic city center. During this short time, the restaurant has already managed to gain popularity among residents of the city, especially those who "live in the dark."
The restaurant became a project of the Farm Association, which, two years ago, all in the same Bologna opened the first bar in Italy with deaf staff: in the "Senyamnoy" (il Senza Nome) bar, coffee, cakes and beer are ordered using special cards that should be put on the bar a rack.
In another dimension, some of the staff also cannot hear: they read by the movement of their lips and speak Italian sign language. In general, we can say that the integration in this restaurant is constantly felt: already from the entrance, the language of visual images, touch, verbal and non-verbal signs are mixed into a single, incomparable dish.
A customer who has crossed the threshold is immediately offered a tactile map of the restaurant so that he can easily navigate among the tables. Appliances, glasses and napkins are arranged in such a way that they are easy to find and identify, and then use. Plates are never filled to the brim, with mostly ceramic dishes and deep plates with raised edges, which are more convenient for blind people. Each inscription, starting from the menu, is translated into Braille. In the menu, the main dishes are prepared on the basis of vegetables, and in general, the emphasis is on seasonal products.
The idea of the project is to create a comfortable environment for all, sighted and blind, hearing and deaf. In addition to the braille writing boards, the restaurant has various games at its disposal (for example, tactile chess), various exhibitions and jazz concerts are also organized.
If in Bezymyanny, Marina Brancaccio’s visual and auditory exhibition “With the help of Eros” (Con l'aiuto di Eros) is being held, in another dimension a tactile exhibition of the blind sculptor Alessandro Mancinone is presented. His sculptures, among which there is a self-portrait, can be watched and touched.
Dinners in the dark will be held at the restaurant twice a month: an opportunity for everyone to get a new sensual experience, as well as to understand what it feels like not to see what you eat.
The name of the restaurant is indicative. Farm President Nunzia Vannuccini (Nunzia vannuccini) explains: “We decided to focus on the concept of something else (one of the first things taught at school and that everyone quickly forgets becoming adults) and created a space adapted for everyone. Letter A, which is the logo of the restaurant in Braille, also represents the beginning of communication, an alphabet translated into all languages. "
Address: Via Polese 7 / B (ex Chet Baker), Bologna
Phone: +39 347 3276768
Working hours:
Mon: 12:00 - 16:00
Tue - Fri: 12:00 - 16:00, 17:30 - 3:00
Sat: 17:30 - 3:00
Sun: 12:00 - 16:00, 17:30 - 0:00
- Official website of the restaurant
- Facebook Page
