Interiors studio VSHD Design has added a curved ceiling and boulder-like marble counters to this minimalist coffee shop in Dubai.
Located on the street level of the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC), the Orijins coffee shop is sparsely decorated using muted colours and natural materials.
VSHD Design, which was founded by local interior architect Rania Hamed in 2007, designed the cafe to mimic the "beautiful imperfections found in nature" and in particular a collection of water-smoothed stones picked up from the shores of the Red Sea.
Orijins' desaturated colour palette references sand, shells, stone and wood, while the dramatic curved ceiling and the seven uneven marble blocks that form the coffee bar lend a weathered quality to the 105-square-metre space.
The marble blocks with their abstract shapes were drawn by hand but cut by automated CNC machines, creating a mixture of smooth and rough edges.
These heavy forms are contrasted with slender metal furnishings and tactile textiles such as fur, boucle and heavy weaves, which were selected to complement the interior's raw finishes.
Plaster walls and polished concrete floors provide a neutral backdrop for the scheme.
The cafe is lit by a slim LED strip that runs along the length of the space, highlighting the gentle curve of Orijins' ceiling. Spotlights are positioned over the bar area and a brushed-aluminium sconce custom designed by VSHD decorates one of the walls.
"Orijins represents the design firm's interpretation of what it means to be calm, to sit still and to observe the beauty that can be found even in our flawed, everyday reality," said VSHD Design.
"It's the feeling of calm and serenity one gets when sitting on a rock by the sea."
Other cavernous coffee bars include the Blue Bottle Coffee shop at the Shiroiya Hotel in Maebashi, Japan, where Keiji Ashizawa paired brick floors with a warm colour palette.
The photography is by Oculis Project.