Intro | Joanna Laajisto Creative Studio

In the city of Kuopio, Finland, an old classic restaurant, Intro, has undergone a major renovation designed by Helsinki based Joanna Laajisto Creative Studio.

The new Intro with a total of 450 sq.mt is divided into a restaurant with 50 seats on one side and a nightclub of equal size on the other.

The new restaurant is light and airy with a subtle color palette. Some punches of color are added in the textiles and fixtures, such as the sofas covered in woven Kvadrad wool fabric by Paul Smith and Delightful designed red lamps suspended above the counter height table. The monochromatic geometric pattern of the floor tile brings interest and texture to the space without being too bold.  Most of the furniture is custom made for the space. The white pendant lamps above the dining tables are Funnel by a small Slovanian company Vertigo Bird. The wooden dining chairs are by Ton.

Strong custom designed graphic elements on the walls add contrast to the otherwise calm environment. The blue animal themed “fable” illustration designed by Sebastian Hurmerinta makes the walk to the restrooms an interesting journey.

The entry to the club side passes by an 11 meter long concrete bar which stands in front of a white washed brick wall. The bar area is raised up from the rest of the space to give it even more presence and emphasize the views from the bar counter to the rest of the space. The slender sofas with metal and wood structures are covered with the same Paul Smith designed fabric and feature in both barstool and lounge heights. These custom designed seats act also as space dividers to the lounge side of the club. The objective was to create a relaxed and casual atmosphere, so plenty of soft seating with rotating bases by Viccabre are placed on the exposed concrete floors. A focal point in the space is a large custom sofa that is anchored by a cluster of Selene pendant lights by Classicon.

The restaurant has also revamped their food and drink offerings with the help of Finnish Master Chef Judge Risto Mikkola. The new menus have healthy salads and snacks as well as local meat and fish dishes and a street food section.

The renewed Intro opened it´s doors 17.9.2014 and serves lunch, dinner and drinks daily.