128 Podil Food Market is the flagship of the Kyiv-based 128 cafe chain, located in the building of a former bus station in Podil.
The task was deceptively simple – to create a new place that would quickly become a community hub with a simple, familiar vibe. The client wanted a convenient and understandable design with plenty of light and plants inside the cafe. Straight aggressive angles and shiny metal elements were undesirable – anything that could overly modernize the historical space of the old building. According to the client's vision, during the warm season, food trucks would appear on the summer terrace, hosting festivals of national cuisine.
Working with historical buildings always brings unexpected discoveries. During the demolition, we found the yellow classic Kyiv brick on the site, characteristic of buildings from that period, with bricked-in arch construction and a basement. The brick became the authenticity we aimed for in the design of 128. On the left side of the facade, we refreshed the plaster, cleaned the main facade with the entrance group. Historical brick arches were restored – the entrance arch was adorned with the yellow brick that remained after the demolition.
According to our concept, the interior of the establishment reflects the Kyiv’s most hip district, Podil, theme. The entrance is designed as a glass vestibule, protecting guests at the tables on either side of the entrance from drafts. On the vestibule floor, we used the same pavement as the fragment of the summer terrace, bringing the street inside and visually connecting the interior and exterior.
At the exit from the vestibule, guests are greeted by the first hall and bar. DIY lamps hang over the bar – we bought lampshades and golden saucers at IKEA, complemented them with metal cut circles, and created a custom solution.
To the left is the passage to the second, more secluded hall, where lounge-style seating awaits guests. The panel in the second hall was created by Kyiv artists, the Feldman sisters. They collaborated with the owner and proposed a panel with a tram, supporting the urban theme of the establishment and Podil spirit.
The establishment's kitchen area is partially open – in the pastry workshop, separated from the hall by glass, cafe bakers bake pastries and bread. Guests can observe the workshop's work, order coffee, or choose a dessert from the open display.
All furniture chosen for the cafe is of Ukrainian origin. All tables and shelves are custom-made by Ukrainian contractors based on designs and sketches from the bureau.
For the decoration of the 128, the owner brought a large stack of posters from New York of various sizes and formats. We selected our favorites and decorated them in various frames, hanging them on the walls.
To the right of the entrance are two restrooms: standard and one for people with reduced mobility. For the floor decoration, we found multi-colored tiles on OLX, asked tilers to cut them into pieces, and embedded them in microcement, which is then polished – a meticulous job. Splashes of green color on the walls add a playful vibe to the space.
Opposite the entrance to 128 Podil Food Market, food trucks will be located. To organize the outdoor seating, we proposed cutting out a piece of asphalt, leveling it horizontally, and paving it with cobblestones, on which tables will be placed. This way, we created a cobblestone carpet, the design of which is inspired by the quarter grid of Podil's development, maintaining a visual connection with the building's foundation. In this way, we broke up the large asphalt space in front of the establishment and integrated it with the main facade.
128 Podil Food Market became an opportunity to breathe new life into a historical building. Despite all the challenges of the project, we have created a place with soul and are already looking forward to the first street food festivals in the shade of old chestnuts.
