Followed by recent reconstruction of a shopping center, a new interior concept for the healthy food restaurant Takeway has been designed in Vilnius New Town by Ponama Architects.
The live vegetation has been chosen as the main idea of the interior of the restaurant. Given the fact that plants reflect the concept of a restaurant menu, the elements of greenery are predominant: live flower pots, several types of real moss compositions. Lively vegetation makes it possible to convey the values nurtured by the creators of a healthy food restaurant. Industrial style dominates the interior of the restaurant. The space structure is emphasized by exposing industrial ceilings, concrete floors. To counterbalance the rough interior style and prevailing gray tones and to establish a feeling of comfort in the restaurant, abundant warm shades of wood surfaces and various copper colored interior accents have been integrated.
Within the common space, a large black separate volume is incorporated which serves as an open bar accessing the semi-open kitchen through an opening. The black volume creates intrigue and centers the attention on the important part of the restaurant – cooking process, which restaurant visitors can watch and enjoy. To distinguish the interior of the restaurant, unique interior elements are created which are memorable and easily recognizable. To achieve the impression of unexpectedness, bulky decorative concrete pots are designed. Pots can be freely positioned in the space between the tables and composed in various ways. Sizeable live plant pots fill the space, look like pillars and function as partitions between tables.
Along the long wall in the main hall, a number of settees are arranged, whereas in front of them – pivot tables with soft chairs. Between mobile tables, there are narrow passages. Therefore these mobile pieces of furniture could be adapted to serve larger groups of guests. The copper-colored metal shelves were designed between the soft pillars. On the shelves between the mosses ready to buy restaurant goods are displayed. The metal disks with mirrors above living plant pots stand as accent mark of a restaurant. The hanging parts, painted in copper stand out from the gray tones and add uniqueness.
There is no natural light in the restaurant. The lack of light is unraveled with the help of dimming illumination. Lighting consists of several types: functional and decorative. Functional lighting is of double nature, one being in the background due to the general lighting of the restaurant and the track lighting, which is designed above the tables. Black color lamps roll out as finishing accents which contribute to the whole interior. The main walls and pots are uniformly furnished with decorative concrete with the imprinted wood decor. Finalized decorative idea fuses contrasting materials: concrete, metal, mirrored surfaces with oiled oak massif, oak parquet boards, soft sofa and chair fabrics and natural greenery.
The area of the restaurant is separated from the mall by placing large proportioned pots with live plants, which also serve as a key element of an interior. Pots, which vary in size are covered with different decoration elements using oak husks, mirrors, decorative concrete. Among the designed pots, special partitions are incorporated; colored with copper, rotated 45 ° metal sheets. All these are original elements that are distinguished from other spaces of the shopping center, are recognizable and memorable. Photography by Darius Petrulaitis
