Today, on the occasion of World Autism Awareness Day, we want to talk to you about how one of the most extraordinary projects aimed at children with autism spectrum disorder was born: an action that speaks of awareness, equality, respect and dedication, which culminates in giving dignified and daily work to children who too often (and sometimes without reason) are marginalized due to their condition.
When at the beginning of July 2023 Aut Aut asked us to renovate the Planet Aut Bar in Casalgrande in record time by redeveloping a truly dated environment, we took up the challenge taken by that slight shock halfway between enthusiasm and the fear of not being able to obtain the optimal result in a short time.
The official inauguration would have been held on October 6, but the bar was already expected to be operational at the end of the month.
Much more than a simple project
Planet Aut is not a restaurant like any other. The project, as a whole, is truly extraordinary, especially in its aims. Catering is seen as a “pretext” to provide children with autism spectrum disorders with an opportunity for professional growth, both through specific professional training courses and through the dignity of paid work. In fact, twelve young people work in the restaurant who have followed an appropriate training course and will take care of all the typical tasks of a bar-restaurant.
What distinguishes Planet Aut from all other restaurants, however, is not just this; the big difference is made by the strict and unusual rules that have been established to guarantee a harmonious working environment permeated by positive energy. Being happy, helping each other, respecting each other and never forgetting to smile are the fundamental rules of Planet Aut, rules that should be the basis of every human organization but which, too often, we forget, by virtue of a success based on competition and selfishness .
Planet Aut’s project is unique in its kind in Emilia Romagna and was able to benefit from the support of the Municipality of Casalgrande as well as ours. Collaboration on this project, in fact, is part of the social commitment that our company wanted to undertake towards the territory and towards people defined as fragile.
A design between future and tradition
When we thought about the style that a place with such important skills as those on which Planet Aut is based should have, it immediately became clear to us that everything should be simple and harmonious. We wanted a warm and familiar environment, which praised complicity, which was a bit reminiscent of village clubs, where people gathered to spend a few hours in company, where between a chat, a white wine and a game of rummy, time passed joyfully . At the same time, however, we wanted to give a touch of modernity to everything, so that it could be a stimulus to build a future based on the ideals and rules that reign in Planet Aut.
What emerged was, therefore, a design that looked to the future but maintained that reassuring climate typical of traditional village activities.
The place: the appetite comes with blue
- it instills calm, constancy and confidence
- it is a stable shade that you can always rely on
- it has a deep resonance and has a stable base that you can always hold on to
- it evokes the vast and the infinite, encouraging us to go beyond the obvious by thinking outside the box
- symbolizes balance, relaxation and inner calm
- it is the color designated as a symbol of autism
As for the textures, we combined the futuristic geometries of the wallpaper with the Venetian terrazzo effect flooring which reminds us so much of the rooms of the “old days”.
So they found their natural place in our wallpaper WP21B Rorck N’ Wall in its blue variant, which we have enriched with the rules of Planet Aut and with motivational phrases, printed on embossed vinyl, and the laminate flooring 8/32 Kingsize in the Terrazzo Triestino Grigio decoration: a modern and functional solution that recreates the visual effect of Venetian terraces without incurring the investments in terms of time and money required by traditional craftsmanship.
The counter, a typical model of the eighties, has taken on a beautiful shade of blue (NCS S 4020-B) thanks to the washable Lucite 460 Rapid paint, the same goes for the columns. The walls on which the paper was not laid were completely repainted with Lucite 462 Classic in the color NCS S 0500-N, while we used it on the ceiling Lucite 400 All-In in the white shade: a very particular paint designed to avoid dripping and allow perfect application on the ceiling. Chairs and coffee tables were also renovated using Lucite enamel systems.
The installation was carried out by a group of local artisans who have always collaborated with us.
A place where relationships are born
Planet Aut immediately became an important meeting place for the country (and beyond). The skill and foresight of those who believed in the project right from the start made it possible to create a real network of relationships which also brought important guests. First of all the comedian Giuseppe Giacobazzi, who has always been very sensitive to the issue of autism and a proud supporter of the Aut Aut association, was among the undisputed protagonists of the opening evening, second only to the boys who gave their best showing professionalism really over the top.
From the various faces of politics who sat at the tables of Planet Aut to the representatives and managers of important local companies, up to the most beloved sports teams in Reggio Emilia, everyone agrees on one thing: Planet Aut represents a real added value not only for our territory but for the entire world: a project that looks to the future by building it from scratch, breaking down prejudice and sowing the seeds for a renewed humanity.
We should therefore not be surprised if we will still hear a lot about these kids and their dream of a “normal” world in which to live. This day and this article are dedicated to them, to their perseverance and to the genuineness with which they continue to persevere their dreams.