Coffeemonkey cafe | Anthem

The Anthem studio created the first urban coffee shop, which is situated in the heart of Chisinau city. Its facade is slightly integrated into the old Soviet building. The main idea was to have a big welcoming facade that can be fully opened in the warm season, transforming into a large open space like a terrace. In the early 1963, the Main Printing House was located here, and it is still partially operational today. The coffee shop creates a friendly and open atmosphere, bringing together citizens from different generations, uniting them, and building a healthy community.

Key project details.
Nestled in the center of the city, this small yet significant project holds a prime location. The area itself forms a large quarter, encompassing the remnants of an old Printing House that is now partially abandoned or used as an office building. This architectural heritage from the 1960s stands as a testament to social constructivism. Situated opposite the project is the National Concert Palace, characterized by the clean, straight lines of constructivism style. In order to showcase their vision, the designers proposed opening up the facade to the public and making it thinner than its original state. The Anthem group, led by designer Anna Wigandt and architect Elena Naumova-Socolova, played a vital role in the reconstruction and renovation process, including the redesign of the entrance, stairs, facade, and the use of materials. To gain approval for their proposed solutions, the designers delved into the archives and presented the project to the Ministry of Culture. They removed old structures and plastic signs, giving the facade a cleaner and sleeker appearance compared to its previous state. The archives provided insight into the construction of the main facade, which consisted of "expanded clay concrete with crushed colored glass - erklez," utilizing predominantly white tones with hints of light green and light violet. "Erklez" refers to colored glass pieces renowned for their durability and eco-friendliness. Employing this special technique, the facade's appearance became more structured and variegated. For the project, the designers incorporated gray tiles and warm natural wood on the interior to harmonize with the existing building design.