The Stellar Studio design studio is responsible for its interior. Café “Spodek” is located at 15 Karola Szymanowskiego Street in Kraków. It is a tiny premises, but designed in a unique way. The physical limitations were quite a problem. So how did you manage to arrange the small space?
Stellar Studio was approached by a client who presented the design team with the unusual challenge of transforming a premises that had previously served casseroles and briefly served as a flower shop into a modern speciality cafe offering mainly take-away drinks. Despite the excellent location – surrounded by a large park, a university and a busy bus stop – the choice of this location raised numerous questions.
Situated in a modernist skyscraper, the building was distinguished by its unusually high volume combined with very limited space. The space was dominated by extensive glazing on three sides, which significantly hampered the interior design. An additional problem was the issue of several windows, covered with polystyrene foam by an administrative decision, despite the designers’ strenuous attempts to uncover them. Despite these difficulties, the team decided to take on the challenge, treating the constraints as an impetus to create an innovative design.
Taking into account the green location of the premises and the dynamic gastronomic development of the district, a combination of a speciality café and wine bar located in a cosy garden with a view of Krakowski Park was proposed. A small, rounded bar was designed in the central part of the premises, and upholstered benches of futuristic form were introduced. These benches were complemented by light, round tables resting on single legs.
The client wanted a place with an unusual design, different from the minimalist décor that dominates most cafés in Krakow. I drew inspiration from the space age style and design motifs of the 1960s – the pattern on the walls and ceiling was inspired by one of the scenes from the 1967 James Bond film Casino Royale. The futuristic form of the sofa upholstered in metallic leather, the front of the bar finished in metallic HPL imitating hammered sheet metal and the use of patterned, unusual natural stone (onyx) on the tops of the tables set on luminous legs finished in stainless steel completed the cosmic inspirations,” explains the designer.
Bearing in mind that the café focuses on speciality coffee, the coffee machine was carefully exposed and graphically integrated into the overall concept. Hanging spheres, hand-moulded from Polish glass, were placed under the high ceiling; juxtaposed with the disco balls, they created a light-diffusing composition reminiscent of a planetary distribution.
Unusual glazing, allowing the interior to be observed from outside, was turned into an asset. The illuminated, original surface catches the eye of passers-by, inviting them to discover an unusual space where tradition meets futuristic solutions.
The transformation of the premises into the ‘Spodek’ café proves that even the most challenging conditions can be transformed into a space with character.
design: Stellar Studio
photography: Hanna Połczyńska Chronicles
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