COLLARCH shapes café from gray recycled shipping containers in prague

made of  recycled shipping containers

located in the heart of holešovice, prague, ‘café kontejner’ by COLLARCH takes shape as a temporary structure made of gray recycled shipping containers. with its rough aesthetics, it refers to the industrial history of the district, while its corrugated, black shell with the large-scale glazing invites passers-by to explore the interior. 

the overall design features three containers. two of them form the base of the café and are located parallel to the main street — however, the openings overlook the park. and the third one is placed obliquely, seemingly randomly, forming the upper floor and acting as an observatory.
all images courtesy of peter fabo, unless stated otherwise 

detached from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding streets

in contrast to the rough envelope, the interior design by COLLARCH (see more here) is imbued with a more sober color palette, making the shades of gray and silver stand out. the textures of the hard surfaces create a visual connection with the fine fabric of the curtains. the large-scale glazing injects natural lighting into the space, reflecting tones of the sun and the surrounding greenery.

meanwhile, the interior is divided with a cladding wall of corrugated steel that wittily corresponds with the window curtains. this elongated structure forms a second curtain hiding the back-of-house, toilets, and technical room, while clearly highlighting the staircase.

an intersection of two realities: a rough industrial shell and a boutique-café

the final design includes two bar areas: the one on the ground floor is composed of a simple black steel structure filled with dark, writable boards. the counter is located at the entrance to the café, in an alcove lined with galvanized corrugated steel. the second bar on the first floor is sandwiched between two longitudinal glazed facades. a similar steel structure is filled with densely perforated galvanized metal sheets. the reflectivity and partial transparency of the material used lighten the mass of the bar and make it look airy and elegant.

a clear garish color palette enlivens an otherwise routine experience

the cafe is designed for year-round operation and equipped with all the necessary technology, from underfloor heating to a powerful air conditioning unit. forced air exchange is solved visibly in the form of spiro-pipes, which form a significant design element in the interior and complete its industrial aesthetics. most of the built-in electrical installations are controlled from a single central panel with switches in the form of a simple, elegant matt-black steel plate, inserted into a galvanized corrugated steel wall.

the graphic style and logo of the café are also designed by COLLARCH. the logotype takes the shape of the letter K and appears with LED-neon signs on the facade. coffee pots, culinary products, and the café-website, all employ this motif in several selected variations.

the toilets, discreetly located behind a black-painted door, are a distinctive color deviation, contrasting with the concept of the rest of the café

image courtesy of karolína matušková

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axonometric plan

plan of the ground floor

plan of the first floor

project info:

name: café kontejner
designer: COLLARCH

location: prague 7 – holešovice

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina petridou | designboom