The design process and practical completion of “Zhazhda” craft beer bar in Minsk
Smaha
Architects: Darya Siamionava, Aleh Kaliankovich, Artsiom Armonik, Aliaksei Hnatsiuk
Photographer: Alexandra Kononchenko
Location: Minsk, Belarus
Project Area: 55,02 sq. m
Project Year: 2020
“Zhazhda Taproom” is a story about three guys with a common goal of having their craft beer bar. The standout interior has its style and differs from other establishments of this kind. The basic idea was to create a moderate and low-key environment with the main focus on serving drinks.
The raw bar counter with beer taps, authentic approach to lighting, choice of ceiling finishing materials, and the check-in zone for Untappd users — all of this creates the unique character of the place.
Design project: https://goodproject.by/en/project/smaha/
Completion: https://goodproject.by/en/project/smaha-realized/
Location
“Zhazhda Taproom” is located at Lieninhradskaja 2 st. in Minsk. It’s a convenient location that sits right in the center of the city near the Plošča Lienina subway station, Michajlaŭski Garden Square, Minsk railway station, and office buildings. Nearby is Karla Marksa st. which attracts tourists and locals with its multiple restaurants and bars.
The space
Before the renovation, the space was a room with outdated finishes and equipment, so we didn’t pursue preserving them. High ceilings and panoramic glazing are apparent advantages of the main hall. The final design project leaves the layout unaltered, except for new partitions for the refrigeration room with beer kegs.
Conceptual development
The main area is a small room with several seats for 30 people and standing places near the table. Furniture and fixture design provide enough space for a bar counter with 15 beer taps, a countertop with 3 more seats, and a cash register. The refrigerating room is right near the bar counter so that the beer pipeline is as short as possible. The bathroom door is separated from the main area by a dressing room hallway.
Room legend
1. Beer hall
2. Refrigeration room with beer kegs
3. Dressing room hallway
4. Bathroom
5. Storage room
The bar counter
The furniture design turned out quite raw: we decided to hide the metal frame holding the bar counter with painted CMU blocks with round holes that set a certain rhythm. This solution is practical in terms of durability. The ash countertop feels natural. To the left of the bar counter, there is a check-in zone for Untappd users. It is a photoshoot area for beer lovers, which is a truss-like table beneath a lighting fixture.
Bar decoration
Behind the bar counter, there are beer glass shelves and a menu wall, which was provided by the Moscow company Kontorasdekorom. It is a set of individual blocks of transparent plastic placed on wooden rails. KERAMA MARAZZI glossy white tiles from the “Kaleidoscope” collection with dimensions of 200×200 mm work as a background for menu letters. The glossy tilework reflects the light from the LED fixtures above the bar, contrasting with all matte interior surfaces and creating an appealing effect. All the lighting fixtures were provided by the MASSIVE brand.
The sitting area
A long modular sofa allows to place rectangular tables next to each other and provide enough space for plenty of people. It has power sockets fitted into the side panels. The neon sign “THIS IS FOR THE HEARTS STILL BEATING” is the interior highlight and the first thing visitors see when entering the bar. All the neon lighting was provided by Multilight.by.
The projector
We combined track and pendant lighting with exposed wiring to maintain the ceiling height. The direction of wires brings dynamic to the room. The interesting detail of the interior is black and white movies projected onto one of the concrete walls. Sometimes guests make requests and come together to watch their favorite movies. It brings a warm and home-like atmosphere to the place.
Concrete and black
During the concept design, we decided to divide the space vertically into two parts: one with a concrete texture on the floor, walls, and ceiling, and the second which is almost black. In the bathroom, we used the same technique of enlarging the space by visually increasing the ceiling height. We achieved this by combining ITALON tiles from our partners from “Dom plitki“ and OIKOS decorative plaster.
The refrigerator and standing area
A truss-like bar stand provides additional standing places in the hall near the refrigerator with bottled beer. Above, the metal frame with faux greenery from the company Realtouch.by emphasizes this interior element. This combination is set near the panoramic window and serves as a display for people outside. Above the refrigerator is a set of open shelves with bottles of rare beer samples.
The bathroom
We decided to abandon the traditional conception of having a mirror right above the hand basin and put the «YOU ROCK!» wall writing instead. A light gray washbasin from BetON was chosen and installed on a custom-made metal stand to match the concrete wall finishes.
Finishes
A big 2400 mm height mirror is placed to the left of the entrance and visually doubles the space. The rest of the finishing is the combination of 1200×600 mm tiles with decorative plaster. Faux greenery is also used on the ceiling to maintain a cohesive style.
Thank You!
