‘Buza’, the Arabic word for ice cream, is a boutique ice cream brand. It is an Arabic-Jewish partnership that started a few years ago in the Galilee district in the north of Israel. Buza’s small ice cream factory is located in Kibbutz Sasa, at the foot of Mount Meron overlooking lush apple orchards; And the first shop was opened a few years ago in the nearby Arabic village, Tarshiha.

As a modern ‘third-wave ice cream, Buza specializes in natural and unique flavors, made of local produce. When designing the Tel-Aviv store, architects Simon Barazin and Jonathan Canetti wanted to incorporate all of the brand’s values into the space and create a modern, simple, sophisticated place. The 50 sqm space was considered not as a shop, but rather a small gallery in which one can taste the unique flavors of Buza. 

The principal idea of the design was to create a continuum of surfaces. The counters, walls, bleachers, and floors are all made of planes that combine into solid shapes in the space. All these surfaces are covered with the same tiles; a single material with a strong impact that is the main protagonist of the space. 

The green-teal shaded tiles used are full-bodied rectified ceramic tiles. The marble-like texture is created by the material itself, rather than being applied on like most common ceramic tiles. This means that each tile is different and has a natural appearance. These highly durable tiles have a smooth, matt finish and they are very pleasant to touch. So one can sit, lean, and walk on.

This particular shade of green references the green scenery from which Buza comes. That same natural Galilee landscape is also displayed on a large 3-meter long light-box. The color of the space was also meant to complement the newly designed ice cream cups and packages. On the long wall of the shop, a series of five abstract posters are exhibited. They were created as ice cream-inspired art pieces by Evian-Saggi Studio, the graphic designer who did the re-branding of the packaging. 

The light fixtures and lit logo signs were customs designed as well, with cool white led light. The clean space of the ice cream gallery stands in contrast to the rough urban environment that surrounds it, offering a quiet getaway.

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