We barely had time to take a picture before February 24 and the war in Ukraine came.The gelateria had been open in Odessa for a couple of weeks and it was closed and the windows were boarded up. We didn't know for a long time if it would ever reopen. 

"ТАЮ" translates from Ukrainian as "I'm melting," and the menu only includes ice cream and juices. For a long time, we were looking for a simple solution, simple materials, and one clear idea that would create and unite the whole interior. We had a very tight deadline. As usually happens with commercial establishments, when you have to pay the rent and open quickly. So we wanted to find one common solution for the entire design, to implement the interior in collaboration with as few contractors as possible. 

Therefore, the interior solution of one solid metal wave had to solve not only the aesthetic side but also reduce the timing of the interior. The name and the ice cream itself gave us the idea. The ice cream melts, the architecture of classicism melts and its massive decorative ceiling flows down into the smooth curves of the metal walls. The gelateria is in an old, historic building, which strongly influenced the design and technical decisions. It is impossible to design without paying attention to the context. We were given ready-made, decorated ceilings. We decided to keep them and they became part of the overall concept. The ceiling links the interior, the house, and its history.

The windows in the building would not open, and the large, beautifully decorated ceiling would not allow itself to be spoiled by the sight of the ventilation ducts. It would have lost the elegance and sophistication of the design. So we placed the supply and exhaust vents behind the metal waves on the wall. 
We designed and manufactured the fixtures for this project ourselves because we couldn't find any that matched the design concept. And while it usually takes about six months to develop a prototype, here we were able to create and produce everything in just a couple of months. 
We hope that the war in our country will soon be over and we will be able to create new projects. 

Team:
Architects: Sivak&Partners 
Concept, naming, identity: Worth.agency
Photographer: Yevhen Kariev 

Materials used:
Flooring: Microcement floor
Doors: Custom made
Lighting design: Vasyl Grublyak
Chairs: Marcel Breuer B34, Giandomenico Belotti - Spaghetti
Faucet: IMPRESE LOTTA 55401-SS