• RETRO
  • completed 2025
  • photos - Oni Studio
  • in cooperation with - Barbara Habela, Małgorzata Neumann
  • Retro is a café deeply embedded in the everyday life of Gdańsk. Located on Piwna Street, within the historic Main Town, it has for years remained a familiar point on the city map, visited by both local residents and tourists. Its clientele spans generations, reflecting the long-standing presence and continuity of the place. When the owner, Michalina, approached us to collaborate, the primary objective was to refresh the interior while preserving its established identity. The design task focused on maintaining the atmosphere of warmth and subtle nostalgia, while introducing a coherent, contemporary visual language capable of supporting the café’s future development.

Prior to the design phase, a thorough analysis of the existing interior was conducted to identify the elements most characteristic of the space. Rather than replicating the past, the concept aims to reinterpret it through material, color, and detail. The material palette is based on warm, muted tones — deep burgundy, soft heather, and mustard yellow — complemented by dark wood, natural marble flooring, and patterned wallpapers. Together, these elements create a calm, intimate interior with a domestic scale. Most of the existing furniture was retained and refurbished, allowing the project to build on the café’s material history while reducing the need for new interventions. Personal objects such as family photographs, vintage typewriters, and analogue cameras were reintegrated into the space, reinforcing its narrative and continuity.

The spatial composition is organized around a central bar, finished with a distinctive stone countertop in a deep coffee-brown tone. Daylight plays an important role in shaping the interior, accentuating textures and enhancing the depth of the color palette throughout the day. The renewed interior of Retro represents a balanced synthesis of the place’s history and contemporary functional requirements. The project preserves the café’s original character while unlocking its potential for long-term use and adaptation.