Treivas designed the Akademiya Argunovskaya Café with a neutral palette to feel like a sophisticated, yet welcoming home dining room for Moscow diners.

Cafe-pizzeria Academiya is located at 3k1 Argunovskaya Ulitsa, nearby Ostankino Television Center. The neighborhood has defined its format: guests arrange meetings during the week, and in the weekend they gather with families for lunch.

Transparent walls make the interior open to a green square that surrounds the building — this feature became the main theme of the project’s proposal. Wooden blinds, a distinct detail of Academia chain, and screens dividing the entrance from the dining hall – light and movable structures – help to reach the balance between privacy and openness.

The surroundings have also defined the choice of muted colours, variety of green plants, natural materials and textures — nothing shall distract from food and conversation. Nothing reminds of business and proximity of television center, except neon lighting above the bar and checkered pattern of dining tables: negotiations are somewhat a game of chess.

Artisian ceramics supports this well-balanced interior. Decor on the walls channels the rock garden, the sighting of which helps to get distracted from the buzz of the city.

Design: Treivas Photography: Dmitrii Tsyrenshchikov

6 Images | expand images for additional detail