Reconstruction of the Restaurant Rakushka (Seashell)

The Rakushka restaurant was built in the 1970s and became the centre of attraction for the Troparyovo-Nikulino district. The Strugatsky brothers devoted a chapter to the Rakushka in their novel Lame Fate. The anti-alcohol campaign of 1985–1987 and numerous complaints from residents led to the closure of the restaurant. In 2020, the Rakushka remains a ruin. The main objective of the project is to create a unique interior and return the status of a cult object to the building.

The bar serves as an entrance to the Rakushka. The first room of the restaurant should attract attention, inviting visitors to step in. The mosaic panel stylized as the seabed is a striking element designed specifically for the project based on the destroyed Soviet mosaic, The Ocean. Its elements formed the basis of the branded paraphernalia. Uneven lighting from shell-shaped lamps creates a play of light on the floor and the walls, imitating the sea current.

The space of the cinema is designed for a small audience. The interior was inspired by old films and 1980s small cinema halls, where the chairs were stylized as car seats — a simple, but striking and memorable design. For the project, armchairs were designed that continue the theme of car seats in a more schematic way and create a play of coloured spots on the monochrome red background.

The shop is a living space of the Rakushka in every sense of the word. It is planned to sell books, records and souvenirs related to the restaurant. In the corridor leading to the shop there is a wall collage of paintings, posters and vinyl records. This changeable exhibition currently consists of references to the project. You can drink coffee both inside and outside. Visitors can get into the street to a seasonal café directly from the shop.