Dreamers café | studio zavod11

The building that houses the cafe is an architectural landmark dating back to 1739, making it almost as old as the city itself. It was the first stone building in Ekaterinburg and served as the Ural Mining Administration. The characteristic vaulted ceiling of that era sets the ambiance of the space. Dignitaries such as Mendeleev, Radishchev, Bering, and Humboldt etc, have stayed here.

Currently, the building is used as a conservatory, with a college located nearby. Over the course of 20 years, the place had accumulated layers of time, necessitating a refresh and reinterpretation. Our goal was to create an interior that would fully unveil the potential of the space. The space was filled with functional elements that emphasize the beauty of the brick vaults, while preserving the favored seating arrangements of guests, updating their forms and sizes.

The concentration of history formed the foundation for the creation of the interior. The main tools were architectural techniques in spatial planning, restaurant lighting, and natural materials. The proximity to the conservatory played a role in the selection of materials and vintage elements, giving the space an intellectual and charming touch of modernism. Tinted plywood, shiny stainless steel, glossy tiles, some items in tile (to match the establishment's gastronomic direction), and natural leather were all mixed with Finnish/German vintage from the 80s.

The concept of an "urban cafe" with a historic location in the central part of the city and on the tourist route led to the idea of using artwork by a local artist - a large mosaic panel made from tile fragments, reimagining monumental art. Anastasia Moskvina is a graphic designer by profession, and her desire to work with her hands evolved into the craft of creating mosaics. Anastasia explores old techniques and reimagines them in a modern way using her own graphics and materials.

"We immediately chose the technique of broken ceramic tiles due to its scale and efficient use of materials, which set the direction of my thinking. The monumental panel resonates with the modernist style that is evident throughout the cafe's design. We wanted to maintain the existing architectural lines and minimalist style. The result is a geometric, monumental, yet delicate and sunlit story."

The mosaic panel incorporates broken porcelain tiles from the "Ural Granite" factory, which exhibit natural colors in earthy subdued tones. This adds individuality and creates subtle connections between the city and the place.

City cafe @dreamers.ekb
Design by @zavod_11 @iren.potapova in collaboration with Dmitry Pogodin from @pogodinrogov
Artwork by @moskviani
Photography by @v.nemirov_
Location: Ekaterinburg, Lenina 26