The café was conceived as an extension of the already iconic KUZNYA project — a space that had to remain connected to the restaurant's identity while establishing its own independent character.

The existing architecture of the building, with its high brick vaults and strong material presence, became the starting point rather than something to be concealed. The challenge was to introduce a complex programme into a compact interior: an open kitchen, a bar with a DJ area, and a sequence of multi-level seating arrangements.

Within the brick shell, we introduced a new architectural layer made of timber panels, mirrors, and stainless steel elements. This layer does not compete with the existing structure, but frames it, adding depth, reflection, and rhythm to the space.

The checkerboard floor brings a graphic clarity to the interior and refers to the atmosphere of European cafés of the 1980s. Above the communal table, iconic Italian design pieces by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, created in 1961 for a Milanese brewery, reinforce this dialogue between hospitality, design history, and everyday ritual.

One of the key elements of the project is the custom cabinet behind the bar. It integrates acoustic speakers, wine fridges, a lightbox, and a concealed passage connecting the main restaurant with the café. Acting simultaneously as furniture, technical infrastructure, and spatial device, it becomes a compact architectural element that holds together the functional and atmospheric layers of the project.