Bazar Cafe
The proposed café is set to be located within a shopping mall, soon to be open in Budaiya, Bahrain. As the mall is awaited to be the first local hospitality space within the residential area, its design reflects the country’s traditional and Islamic aspects.
The brief was based on a 28m2 space that occupies the back end of the mall, where Indoor and ‘outdoor’ seating is planned from within. Designed to cater the shoppers for quick coffee breaks and ‘ease-out’ sessions, the idea was derived from the Turkish ‘bazaar’ and bohemian tradition that follows up on the client’s initial aesthetic. With the café including a mezzanine floor, a spiral staircase was considered to take up the least space, while the rest of the space accommodates the essential café functions, equipments and user seating.
With such a small space being the challenging aspect of the design, it was necessary to consider how each measurement fits and meets the other, whilst maintaining the desired feel and depth to the space. The indoor seating was planned fixed with the table supported by the banquette seat and loose oak stools added giving an informal ease to the users drinking their coffee. A sequence of elements that complete the design refers to carpets displayed along the counter wall; medium-oak shelving and black iron tubes support accents the space, geometric patterned flooring and round pendant lights lined along the counter, including the ‘outdoor’ waterfall visible to the shoppers in the mall.
The most defining feature and essential function of the café, the counter, was inspired by the Turkish coffee pot. It being a significant part of the Turkish culture, the curved form and strong copper presence with the repetitive curved square pushed-in pattern has been maneuvered into the counter’s front base. The silver aluminum top base resembles the ‘inside’ of the pot.
Another feature is the brick wall that extends across the void and curves along the corner to the mezzanine ceiling. The mirror placed opposite to the curved brick gives the illusion of a full arched ceiling. In addition to the translucent ‘skylight’ screen on the ceiling, therefore creates the look of a wider space.
