VSHD designs coffee shop in dubai with blocks of monolithic stone

interior design firm VSHD unveils its ORIJINS coffee shop in dubai‘s international financial center (DIFC). in designing the café space, the team expresses influence from the beauty and imperfections found in nature. simplistic in form and rich in texture and materials, the design of the café showcases the beauty that can be found in a sparsely decorated space of muted plaster and opaque creamy hues, which borrow their subdued colors from natural elements such as sand, shells, stone, and wood. in the absence of a rich use of ornament, visitors are instead prompted by the forms that bring the space to life, such as the curved volumes in the ceiling which provide an atmosphere of calm and grounding.

images courtesy of VSHD

the VSHD-designed coffee shop in dubai exudes a rich blend of contrasting elements — the large blocks of uneven stones, the slender lightweight metal furnishings, the subtle curving elements, and the muted colors. the coffee bar itself is built of solid blocks of different kinds of marble. its unusual organic geometries introduce a dreamy and raw language to the light and airy space. the design team incorporates a mix of textures and materials, all with minimal color contrast and definition. such textiles as fur, boucle, and heavy weaves are used to complement the raw natural concept and sculptural quality of the design and resulting space. 

VSHD’s main inspiration for its ORIJINS coffee shop in dubai was derived from the natural world and from a collection of stones picked up from the shores of the red sea. nature takes the lead here, but it does so innovatively. just as the natural light gently beams through the space, leaving an array of shadows on the plastered earthy walls, the close observer will also notice the almost enigmatic influence of technology. there’s the very slim led strip located along the length of the space to showcase the gentle arch in the ceiling. it is a small spotlight that illuminates the bar area and a bespoke wall light designed by vshd and is made in brushed aluminum that ever so subtly decorates the sparse space.

project info:

project title: ORIJINS

interior design: VSHD | @vshddesign

location: dubai international financial center (DIFC)

completion: 2021

photography: courtesy of VSHD