Cafe Konvikt
Denisa Strmiskova Studio drew inspiration from a former Jesuit convict to create the religious mystique and secular order known to Cafe Konvikt in Olomouc.
Cafe is located next to former 17th century Baroque Corpus Christi Chapel placed in Jesuit convict in Olomouc. Based on that, elements in the café combines baroque religious mystique with secular order and knowledge. Under the dome, which is essential shape of whole interior, an inner floor was embedded. The floor itself can be seen as metaphor of tree. Continuing this metaphor, bottom layer of café is a solid ground or phyla, conducted in earthy tones. The inner floor reminds a treetop. It is filled with plants and soft, dark green sofas.
Cafe bar creates very interior centre. Dark brown massive wood nosing bar desk relates to other furniture in café, which evokes traditional church wooden pews. The soffit above cafe bar is made with special ecologic material, which creates surface illusion of an old fresco. In addition to frescoes, light also played a major role in Baroque sacral space. Light concentrate the divine power in this world and refers to supernatural forces. This fundamental principle is here represented by central round lighting metaphorically depicting a halo. Same light principle penetrates the upper floor and symbolically continues to infinity.
The brief was to create a cafe space for public and for students of near Palacký University. The space is located near former Corpus Christi Chapel in historical Jesuit convict building.
We decided to put in the space inner floor like a metaphor of tree. Tree is fundamentally strong symbol both in religious and secular way. Lower part of cafe symbolized solid ground or phyla (rendered in earthy tones), the upper part is then tree top (full of flora and dark green colours).
The material solution of the ceiling in the central space is unique. We develop special technique using fabric to create a surface, which look like an old frescoes.
Design: Denisa Strmiskova Studio
Photography: Josef Kubíček
