The Baba Jaga restaurant at 10 Wronia Street is a place where the austerity of the architecture meets plasterwork details inspired by pre-war Poland. The design by Sebastian Śliwiński Studio grew out of two elements – the name and the cuisine – and transformed them into a coherent narrative about a place that does not resort to stylisation, but instead forges its own language.
The designer was granted a rare degree of freedom by the client. Apart from the name and the decision to offer a Polish menu, there were no guidelines regarding style. Śliwiński rejected the obvious associations with folk iconography, recognising that an interior constructed as a ‘disguise’ becomes outdated more quickly than others. The direction was suggested by the venue itself – the concrete structure, tall and bright, became the foundation of the entire concept.
Concrete and stucco
The project’s core lies in the juxtaposition of modern architecture with nostalgia for pre-war Poland. The concrete was left exposed, and its texture became a fully-fledged element of the composition. The minimalism of the flooring and furniture contrasts with the richness of the stucco work on the ceiling – three independent plaster compositions, custom-cast and installed by hand by sculptors. Each corresponds to one of the restaurant’s three zones, which can be separated by curtains in a shade of grey that matches the concrete.
The Sun
The focal point of the interior is the bar, designed as the ‘Sun’ installation. Its radial structure supports display shelves, whilst arched LED lines running along the circumference of the circle mimic sunlight. The installation marks the centre of the entire room and infuses the interior with energy. The bar is positioned facing the setting sun, so that at this time of day natural light meets the designed light, creating a brief, striking play of reflections.
A forty-three-metre fresco
A 43-metre fresco by Grzegorz Worpus-Budziejewski runs just below the ceiling. It tells the story of Baba Yaga, though not in the form of a linear narrative. The scenes (the theft from the merchant, the feast, the gathering, the fox hunt) are discovered by chance, as if they were fragments of the world in which one finds oneself. One section, provisionally termed ‘heaven’, focuses on a motif of clouds, from above which Baba Yaga emerges on her broomstick. The whole is illuminated by a continuous line of LEDs, highlighting the painting without dividing it into frames.
Materials and lighting
The interior is based on four materials: a concrete floor, steel used in the bar, the counter and plinths, dark wood on selected fittings, and upholstery resembling natural linen. The colour palette is deliberately limited – all ornamentation is confined to the ceiling. The lighting has been designed so that its sources remain hidden. Davide Groppi Infinito lamps form slender lines suspended above the room, with LEDs directed towards the plasterwork details. The reflected light falls softly, and the stucco begins to act as a spotlight. This is complemented by spotlights illuminating the bar and lighting dedicated to the art display and guest circulation.
The restaurant seats 110 people, which is why acoustics were treated as an integral part of the design. The sound system creates acoustic curtains that minimise the carry-over of conversation between tables. It is a solution that is invisible – but the absence of which would be immediately noticeable.
design and photographs: Sebastian Śliwiński Studio
See also: Warsaw | Restaurant | Minimalism | Recommended | whiteMAD on Instagram
