Projekt Praga

Subterms

    Latest story

    150 Shares169 Views

    Projekt Praga creates bar with self-service beer fountain for 16th-century Tenczynek Brewery

    by

    Polish design studio Projekt Praga has overhauled the taproom of a centuries-old brewery outside Kraków to accommodate a new bar and restaurant, inserting bold contemporary elements into the historic brick-vaulted space.

    Tenczynek Brewery dates back to 1553, although parts of the building were destroyed during world war two and only reconstructed in 2014.
    The Taproom bar is set inside the 16th-century Tenczynek BreweryThe original taproom spans an area of 250 square metres, with a little under half of the space devoted to the bar and eatery. The remainder was allocated to the kitchen and the alembic, where spirits are distilled behind a glass partition.
    Projekt Praga opted for a minimal-intervention approach in order to respect the existing architecture and reduce the project’s environmental impact.
    Alembics for distilling spirits are on display behind a glass partitionThis included exposing the original brick walls from behind a layer of tiles, leaving them “raw” in a bid to minimise construction waste and emissions.

    The new elements were made from a palette of natural materials – including oak, ceramics, steel and glass – in collaboration with Polish artisans and craftspeople.
    Customers can pour their own drinks from a central fountain”In Tenczynek, we understood the importance of the local character of the brewery,” Projekt Praga co-founder Marcin Garbacki told Dezeen. “Here, the production of beer and vodka is carried out using traditional methods.”
    “The place has a unique atmosphere and energy that works well with individual craftsmanship,” he added. “The design elements are intricately tied to the brewery’s artisanal nature, seamlessly integrated into the existing space without attempting to transform it.”
    Glasses are displayed on red metal shelves nearbyThe principal focal point of The Taproom is a central self-service drinks fountain, set inside a column clad in handmade ceramic tiles by family-run workshop Ardea Arte.
    Their warm burgundy tone layers with the original brickwork and the rich reds used across shelving and table legs to create an intense and immersive atmosphere.

    Projekt Praga incorporates mid-century references into Polish dumpling restaurant

    The dispenser allows visitors to pour themselves any desired amount of beer or vodka using 14 different taps.
    “Since this element defines the modus operandi of the venue – it’s a taproom – we decided to turn it into a centrally located mini-rotunda, the heart of the space,” Garbacki said.
    “It defines the logic of the space and facilitates accidental meetings of different users, serving as a social tool.”
    The bar’s solid oak furniture is by Artur CzajkaThe oak floor was designed to act much like a carpet to delineate space, stopping short of the walls at a distance of around ten centimetres in order to draw a clear distinction between old and new.
    At the same time, the flooring helps to ground several of the bar’s other oak elements, including the benches and tables by designer Artur Czajka.
    “Part of our intention was to make a bold gesture in the space, a single fundamental intervention that will encompass all the other changes made and serve as a canvas for them,” Garbacki said.
    Andrzej Bero and Piotr Linca handmade clay lamps for Tenczynek BreweryTo counter the narrow, elongated nature of the space, Projekt Praga made strategical use of mirrors and other reflective finishes both to illuminate and to extend the sense of space.
    “The reflecting mirrors placed in the arcades across from the windows add depth to the space and multiply the impressive brick arches,” the studio said.
    “Watched from a certain angle, they multiply natural light coming in through the windows, which is important as the natural light is quite restricted.”
    The building’s original vaulted bricks ceilings are left exposedHandmade clay lamps suspended low over the tables enhance the venue’s intimate atmosphere.
    Created in collaboration with ceramicists Andrzej Bero and Piotr Linca, they feature a colour palette that links to the original brick as well as to the new materials used on the project.
    By using a range of different shapes and sizes of lampshades, each table’s setup is subtly different.
    Red brick also features across the floors”The soft shapes of the smooth clay lamps are a bridge between the new interior decoration and the existing structure of the rough walls and arches,” Garbacki said.
    Tenczynek Brewery project has been shortlisted for this year’s Dezeen Award in the restaurant and bar interior category alongside a seafood eatery with a vaulted-wood interior and Ikoyi by David Thulstrup, which is decorated with copper walls and a curved metal-mesh ceiling.
    Projekt Praga, which was established by Marcin Garbacki and Karolina Tunajek in 2010,  previously converted another historic brewery in Poland into minimalist apartments.
    The photography is by ONI Studio.

    Read more: More

    More stories

    • 113 Shares129 Views

      in Rooms

      Projekt Praga incorporates mid-century references into Polish dumpling restaurant

      by

      Polish architecture firm Projekt Praga has blended modern and mid-century features inside the Syrena Irena bistro in Warsaw, which serves traditional pierogi dumplings.

      Syrena Irena is located in an early 1950s building in the centre of the city that originally functioned as a hotel cafe.
      Syrena Irena is a pierogi restaurant in WarsawAside from handmade boiled pierogi, the restaurant’s “cheerful and honest” menu contains classic Polish dishes from the 50s and 60s such as sour rye soup and herring in flax and hemp oil, which have been updated for modern tastes.
      To add to the homely and casual atmosphere, Projekt Praga created an interior with a self-service set-up that uses mid-century design references to pay homage to both the building’s architecture and the bistro’s nostalgic menu.
      Wooden stools by Buck Studio surround the restaurant’s tablesThese include terrazzo-style tabletops, mosaic tiles, neon signs, milky glass sconces from Polish lighting brand Aqform and wooden stools with triangular seats by Wroclaw-based Buck Studio.

      In particular, Projekt Praga said it chose details, shapes and materials associated with the “prudent design” of Poland’s communist era.
      Spherical glass sconces by Aqform decorate the wallsThe terrazzo-style tabletops with their simple black bases were custom made, as were most of the metal elements in the space.
      Bar counters were powder-coated in bold colours to complement the building’s original 1950s wall mouldings and arches.
      The interior’s colour scheme mixes blue and coral tonesA large window at the front of the restaurant allows passersby to observe the chefs at work – kneading, stuffing and folding the pierogi.
      In the afternoon, sun shines through the windows and illuminates the dining room, while neon lights bring the space to life in the evening.

      Mateusz Baumiller converts warehouse into homely offices for Clay.Warsaw

      The colour scheme mixes aquatic blue with pink, peach and coral tones in line with the restaurant’s mermaid-themed branding, which was developed by Polish graphic design agency Mamastudio and illustrator Ola Sadownik.
      Both this and the restaurant’s name, Syrena Irena, are a nod to Syrenka Warszawska – the mermaid that acts as a symbol for the city of Warsaw and can be found in its coat of arms, as well as on monuments and buildings throughout the capital.
      Black tables with terrazzo-style tops were custom made for the space”The alternating personality of Syrena Irena gave us a chance to use geometrical forms and colours,” explained Projekt Praga.
      “The classical aesthetic of the existing space was balanced by less profound features like wall drawings, railings imitating a mermaid scale pattern and distinctive neon signs,” the studio added.
      “Despite this duality in the bistro’s persona, varied details like neon signs, lettering and murals all come together harmoniously.”
      A monochrome rendition of a Herbert James Draper painting decorates the wallsAt Mamastudio’s suggestion, Projekt Praga used a monochrome print of Ulysses and the Sirens – an oil painting created by English artist Herbert James Draper in 1909 – to cover two of the walls.
      The restaurant’s illuminated signeage was designed in collaboration with local artisan Jacek Hanak, who is responsible for reviving many of the city’s old neon lights.
      Neon signs were made in collaboration with Jacek Hanak. Photo is by Zuza Kozerska”We were influenced by the aesthetics of the jazzy Warsaw of the 1960s when this part of town was a vibrant destination for night owls and barflies,” said Mamastudio of the restaurant’s branding.
      “There were bright neon signs, music was everywhere, colourful artsy types and thrilling energy. With that, we decided that the mermaid logo should bear resemblance to a retro cut-out. The typography is expressive and slightly clumsy on purpose.”
      Other dumpling restaurants featured on Dezeen include a bao restaurant in Valencia that was designed to resemble a sunset and a small Chinese eatery in New York, where stainless steel, brass and polycarbonate are combined to create a futuristic interior.
      The photography is by PION studio unless otherwise stated.

      Read more: More