A beautiful renovation project by Archpoint, the Russian architectural firm that earned its fame for some of the most interesting restaurants of Moscow, among which "La casa del Gaucho" and "Shektel". The Baku restaurant was redesigned to go far beyond a taste for ethnic style. It aims to evoke the modern city of Baku and its peculiar character, defined by contemporary buildings and ancient marvels, by tradition and innovation, and by what makes it one of the richest cultural melting pots in the world. The concept, then, is developed by creating an eclectic but never gaudy mood. The result is a very chic mix of cultural references, where traditional architecture truly meets contemporary design in perfect harmony rather than in a contrast of opposites.
This is particularly evident in the main room. Its airy and fine atmosphere is obtained mainly by a smart combination of natural light, which abundantly filters in through the many high windows, with a delicate and sophisticated mix of artificial, decorative lighting. Light here plays the lead almost imperceptibly, as an elegant palette of beige nuances matched with the earthy tones of the traditional flooring catch the eye at first. The generous use of "Travertino latino", with its typical holes and veins, establishes a strong connection with the architecture of the past, primarly made of stone. Yet, the refined feature wall decorated by the stone design cladding "seta" and its row of spotlights, created with the combined "Curve Luce" complements, revisits the material in a contemporary key. The room stylistic mood is then balanced, and the soft wall lamps and texture contribute to its cozy feeling.
This gentle composition of ethnic touches and classic elegance, of whites, beige tones and stronger warm colors, is displayed again in the highest level of the space, mainly through the smart choice of the ceiling lamps. The white chandeliers illuminating the main area add a measured touch of decorative indulgence with their thin curves and spirals. The wooden folk lamps placed near the big windows have a double function: they recall the floor palette, together with the decorations of the internal balconies, and they serve as main light and as a perfect match for the sitting areas facing the windows and separated from the central space. Here again, the high white columns, the colourful sofas and cushions, the traditional table dressing and the floor mosaic tiles all pay homage to cultural and stylistic mix. The architectural and furnishing ingredients change, creating a new recipe and yet resulting in the same, perfectly balanced "Baku" taste. The same will happen in the many separate, VIP rooms on the first and second ground. This always changing fusion and remix of specific, intertwining identities thus become the true design hallmark of the whole project.