Zurich and London designers Aekae have completed the interior of a cafe in a Zurich park.
Oak parquet flooring from the building has been re-appropriated in the bar and benches, old curtains were used to make upholstery and a modular vintage lamp provides illumination.
The cafe’s chairs have been customised by various artists and designers.
They will be used in the cafe for three months before being auctioned and replaced by a new set of chairs, altered by another group of artists.
Interior photographs are by Nico Schaerer; photographs of chairs are by Nadine Ottawa.
Here’s some more information from Aekae:
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The Café/Bar «Z am Park» is situated at a Park in a former workers district of Zurich, and offers 45 seats inside, and 50 on the terrace.
They serve an exceptional coffee, and on the small but nice menu there are drinks and bites, with a brunch special on weekends. The Interior is straight forward as well.
The location at the Park offers nice views of the trees, and we didn’t want to distract from these with a flashy, overdesigned interior, thus keeping it simple. Inspiration came from Classic elements of a french park-café that where interpreted in a modern way. The main Objective of the Design was to create an unpretentious and relaxed space that effortlessly combines the old and the new.
We questioned the common perception and placing of materials, while being reasonable in the use of them. So parts of the former flooring, an oak-herringbone-parquet, were used to form the Bar and Couches, all contrasted by the warmgray, monochromatic Space. Materials were re-used where possible; old curtains were handpicked for the shiftable upholstery, and a modular vintage lamp (by Trix and Robert Haussmann, 1965), was chosen to create a glowing lighting.
We wanted the interior to keep evolving, so instead of just placing the classic Horgenglarus Bistrochairs (Mod. Classic 1-380) in the Space,
we asked various artists and designers to each re-work 4 of them in their own way.
These are to be used and seen in the Café during 3 Months, after which they can be bought at an auction evening, giving room to new chairs after. The profit fully goes to the designers.
