ZAZAZU

If you had to choose just one stylish place in the city to go for breakfast, coffee, work, and enjoy the aesthetic pleasure of the atmosphere and interior, it would be the new Zazazu on Bohdana Khmelnytskoho Street in Simferopol. We preserved the history of the building and created a true attraction in the city.

CONCEPT

At the beginning of the project, we started by dismantling the awful old panels from the 2000s, painted in bright red, and the multi-level ceiling. This revealed the former beauty of the space: remnants of stucco, niches with old bricks, and, most likely, a former stove with years of ash layers on its walls. And of course, the ceiling height… “Bingo!” – we thought. It is also important to mention that the designed space is located in a former rental apartment building that began its history in the 1920s. Scientists and poets stayed there, one of them being Maximilian Voloshin, whose image is depicted on a large wall in the corridor area, gazing lovingly at his muse with a croissant in hand.

It was impossible to ignore the historicity and classicism that permeated the air. We made the decision to preserve this classical foundation and weave it into a symbiosis with modernity, creating a thread between the past and the present. In contrast to the elegance of the stucco and classical elements, the roughness of concrete – the material of our modernity – stands out.

In a relatively small space, we managed to accommodate 32 seating places, a corridor area with a washbasin, a restroom, a utility room, and an open bar combined with the kitchen. It was critically important to design as many seating options as possible and create separate zones for each group of visitors: for individuals, couples, large groups, or those who prefer to sit higher at a large bar table.

The construction of the coffee shop was truly a “handcrafted work,” as many interior items were handmade by local artisans.

Beautiful images on the walls were created by Crimean artists. We spent a long time searching for sketches and ideas of what to depict – there were more than 20 of them, and thanks to the artists, we ended up with slightly bohemian images with a story. By the way, when you visit the establishment, pay attention to the graceful little dog.

One of the founders of the establishment supervised the construction and completed a large part of the construction work with his own hands. He personally poured the plaster cornice, which was taken from the original stucco of the Simferopol Cinema building.

95% of the furniture was designed according to individual sketches – bar stools were custom-made from scratch specifically for our project. We tested trial versions to ensure the comfortable height, cushion softness, and footrest height.

We made lamps using the papier-mâché technique, creating them in several variations to achieve the desired relief. The sinks in the washbasin area were made from chamotte (a durable type of clay).

We preserved the facade of the building in its original state, refreshed the wall color, and added awnings.

IN PROGRESS