AZAZ Architects: Deco Temple, Elixir Bunn Coffee Roasters
AZAZ Architects design the interiors for 'Deco Temple' - Elixir Bunn Coffee Roasters' store in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Coffee roasters Elixir Bunn open their latest store/café in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with its impressive interiors designed by award-winning architecture and design practice AZAZ Architects. The temple-like space takes its inspiration from the coffee culture of Saudi Arabia, well-rooted in the society, dating back to times before the formation of the Kingdom. There is an emphasis on creating a modern-day spiritual experience for the brand's coffee drinkers, intertwining it with the heritage and rituals associated with places of worship.
Photography: Arch. Rakan Alzughaibi, AZAZ Architects.
Embracing the unique shape and layout of the unit, the team incorporates the central support column into the main theme of the design, creating a centrepiece of dramatic overreaching arches that visually dissect the interior into smaller spaces. Luring the eye upwards into a vast double-height room, the arches accentuate scale while the texture and colour of the hand-applied plaster create the feel of local sanctity, a beautiful reference to traditional Islamic architecture. Contemporary materials and decorative details give the Deco Temple a stylish modern edge. Italian terrazzo covers the floor, countertops and sections of the exterior walls, the earthy hues contained within the terrazzo stone echoed in seating upholstery, tabletops and structure of the spiral staircase that ushers guests onto the higher level.
Tables, chairs and booth seating introduce a natural touch to the interior, the exposed grains of the wood softening the strong lines of the surrounding space. Decorative details such as the metal trims, furniture fixtures and, lighting compliment AZAZ's vision, sampling the darker antique brass and midnight tones from the interior's colour palette. As the sun sets, the temple transforms with directional floor lighting further exposing the texture of the arches. Large sculptural bronze pendants descend over the countertops to illuminate the service area with an artistic touch.
Elixir Bunn's latest store has become an instant landmark within the Arabian coffee industry. Its appreciation of heritage and understanding of ritual has set the standard for stores and services to come, helping write the next chapter in the Kingdom's rich culture.