steel, mirrors and neon inscriptions adorn 'NO NAME' hookah bar in saint petersburg

DA bureau has completed the interior of ‘NO NAME’ hookah bar in a residential area of saint petersburg, russia. with the aim of attracting a younger clientele, the design deliberately moves away from stereotypical hookah bar aesthetics. instead, the small space is characterized by cool color tones, metallic finishes, and graphic decoration. 

all images by Sergey Melnikov

when developing the design, DA bureau had the idea to create an ‘urban-like world behind the looking-glass’, where people could become lost and forget about reality outside. the entire interior is concise and extremely simple. the walls have been retained but completely covered with murals, which form a kind of shell. within this eye-catching shell, metallic elements are inserted to house the functions of the bar. 

the floor plan is composed of two halls. in the first hall is a minimalist bar. like the finishes that surround it, the bar is made of stainless steel, and the glow of multi-colored neon letters reflects on its surface.

in the center of the second hall is a metal, mirror-like cube with individual booths inside for hookah smokers. thanks to the mirrored surface, it changes the spatial experience of the hall. the walls, which remain untouched after the old finishes were removed, create a contrast against the rigid shape of the mirrored volume. they were painted and covered with multi-colored neon inscriptions. everything inside NO NAME was custom made based on DA bureau’s sketches, helping to give the project a unique identity, unlike any stereotypical hookah bar interior. 

floor plan

project info:

project name: NO NAME

type: hookah bar

location: saint petersburg, russia

design: DA bureau

photography: Sergey Melnikov | @svmelnikoff

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: lynne myers | designboom