The layout of the restaurant is in the shape of a wooden box. It is designed to convey a message of mystery, discovery and contradiction. The restaurant has been designed with the help of concrete and reclaimed wood. The walls and ceiling of Pio Pio are comprised of tightly-woven reclaimed branches, creating a natural vibe reminiscent of early South American hut architecture. The rectangular, concrete inner structures featured through out the space also evoke temples and monuments of the Incas and other indigenous cultures of South America.
A guest who steps into the rustic wooden box is at once removed from the noisy Manhattan streets. A marble host-table floats within the enclosed space in reclaimed wood. This accentuates the desire to explore the box further.
In the space that follows, there is a second wooden box, with a sparkling brass vestibule. This leads to a 40-foot, monolithic marble bar resting on a concrete floor. The bar is located at the end of the restaurant. The dimmed lights of the bar throw one into a section woven entirely in Ocotillo canes.
The interiors comprise simple wooden furniture, panoramic landscape photographs and hanging light bulbs. A series of concrete forms simultaneously enclose the main dining hall and integrate it with the various restaurant services.
