L’Escabeau

Named “L’escabeau”, the project is located in the historic centre of Strasbourg, in a building dating back to 1760, and was designed for Omnino, a young Alsatian micro-burnery, which contributes to the “specialty coffee” approach in France. They wanted to create a meeting point, a convivial place of passage, respecting their fundamental values, of which rehabilitation is a part.

In this approach, we have preserved the history of the site, which previously housed a tailor in this 18 m2 room. We have kept the marble opus floor, a large mirror, which inspired us to create a display to highlight Omnino’s collection of antique cups in which they serve their espresso. The alcove, a trace of an old passage to the next premise, has been transformed into a more intimate seated-stand space, creating the ideal environment for tasting the goods proposed.

Our reflexion consisted in declining the universe of Omnino by inspiring us from the memories of the living room of our grandmothers to offer a true identity which breathes authenticity. Particular care was taken to avoid reflecting “the coffeeshop” as a symbol of globalisation.

The space is designed with warm, natural shades and materials, where the finishes and craftsmanship of the region are combined with elements of contemporary influences. We have used Corian and light oak for the lower furniture to harmonize with the counter. The walls reflect the Omnino universe with bucolic blue and wallpaper with floral motifs inspired by the 70s – a memory of our grandmother’s living room.

The counter – main part of the design, connects users and structures the space by its function and materiality. We decorated it with hand-made bricks, selected at the Lanter brick factory in Hochfelden. Designed for counter servicing, it has been optimised to meet the requirements of extraction and conservation techniques necessary for the functioning of the establishment.

To bring a light touch in response to the massive central element, sheet metal displays line the walls and exploit the height of the ceiling to display the products for sale.

To reinforce the spirit of the concept we have imagined metal and wood lightings, designed in collaboration with Patincoofin, creator of unique upcycling pieces. This project allowed us to stage the revolution that is driving the world of coffee by accompanying a local micro-brewery to introduce specialty coffee to as many people as possible.