LOFT | Nuca Studio

In the heart of Bucharest, a printing house built in 1919 was transformed in a mixed- use facility including residential, office and commercial spaces. On the ground floor of the old building, between the fully restored walls of a 680 m2 space, you can find LOFT, a restaurant and lounge aimed at both gourmet cuisine enthusiasts and cool party people.

Designed by Nuca Studio, the high-tech kitchen that caters for the 130 seats is separated from the main space, but the drinks are in plain sight behind a 12 meter long Corian bar. Parallel to the bar a linear black sofa serves as the starting – and more often  the end point – of the evening. Above this area hangs a big white chandelier; this lighting piece is the signature statement of the owners. The polygonal decorative ceiling is the supporting act for the chandelier connecting its solitary presence with the bar’s abundant display of drinks. The overhead installation – made of plastered aluminium bond and foam – is like a canopy over the dining area, where the glamorous tone becomes more subdued.

The materials used for the restaurant zone make references to the old features and functions of the building: exposed brick walls, large wooden planks as dividers and stainless steel mirrors try to capture a small part of its old industrial legacy. Special attention was given to the lighting scheme. The lights on the tables feature dimmable incandescent bulbs, but the rest of the lightning uses RGB LED light, working on nine separate channels. This system permits a wide range of lighting scenarios allowing the look of the entire space to evolve over the course of the evening or from one day to another.