{"id":12027,"date":"2021-05-21T19:16:17","date_gmt":"2021-05-21T19:16:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/e-zeppelin.ro\/en\/?p=12027"},"modified":"2021-05-21T21:47:02","modified_gmt":"2021-05-21T21:47:02","slug":"corvin-cristian-velocita-bucharest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/e-zeppelin.ro\/en\/corvin-cristian-velocita-bucharest\/","title":{"rendered":"Corvin Cristian: Velocit\u00e0, Bucharest"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The design for a coffee shop & ice cream parlor brings to front a woioonderful Art-Deco building.<\/p>\n

Text: Ştefan Ghenciulescu<\/strong>
\nPhoto: Alex Sacalu, Corvin Cristian<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Calea Victoriei, at no. 122 (at the corner with Piața Amzei street) there is a charming Art-Deco block. Two identical wings meet in a concave corner. The strip windows coexist in peace with the arched balcony doors. The ground floor is commercial, interrupted only by two gangways, one for each street, which meet in one of the most beautiful inner courtyards in Bucharest.<\/p>\n

Like all modernist heritage, this block is in poor condition and, it looks even worse with the new carpentry, balcony closures and air conditioning units. From the interior finishes and the carpentry of the commercial spaces on the ground floor, there is nothing left for a long time.<\/p>\n

Recently, a cafe appeared there, combined with ice cream and tiramisu serving. All very good (and this is really not disguised advertisement). For me, it is in itself a positive thing for the return of high standard trade on the historic boulevards, after the malls had started to replace the real city in this respect as well.<\/p>\n

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The design dueto the team led by Corvin Cristian combines two main references: first the context – the Bucharest Art-Deco tradition and the character of the space and the building, and then, the Italian coffee culture and the urbanity and magical architecture of Milan in the 50s.<\/p>\n

As always in the works led by Corvin, the past and the city are not only sources of inspiration, but also an additional subject of the project. Ussually, his projects incorporate elements recovered from missing buildings; here the building and the city are honored and valued.<\/p>\n

The first big gesture is the total glazing that dissolves the interior space into the urban one. The canopy is restored and above it the area that was previously completely blocked by signs becomes a translucent strip of reinforced glass that allows light to pass, but hides the air conditioning system.<\/p>\n

\"02_B_IMG_4292\"<\/a>*existing situation
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\"03_A_22<\/a>*now<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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Inside, the space is very difficult: relatively narrow, crooked, full of pillars. The architectural response takes place on several levels. As a first step, the partitions, materials and differences in surfaces and textures are minimized and dominated by a warm white-gray tone. There is one continuous terrazzo floor, one colour on the walls, columns and ceilings. A curved suspended ceiling takes over the corner, unifies the space and represents, of course, a tribute to the interior architecture of the 20s and 30s.<\/p>\n

The furniture is spectacular (espresso machines are in themselves the best possible decoration), light and flexible. The tables and chairs are made of wood, and the counter is composed of a series of modules on wheels, curved bodies made of shiny metal.<\/p>\n\n\t