Traditions are the passing of the flame, not the veneration of ashes.
The restaurant’s interior evolved into a unique exploration—a way to narrate the connections between two regions through the language of design and decorative techniques, without succumbing to historicism or a literal interpretation of architectural and decorative motifs. The clients approached us with a creative concept built upon a deep immersion into the historical and cultural context. In the nineteenth century, residents of Nizhny Novgorod, by virtue of historical events, became the founders of Siberian cultural flourishing, creating a unique intertwining of sophisticated, high-society nobility culture with the atmosphere of harsh nature and the established way of life of the people who had long inhabited the region.
The interior design of a modern Siberian cuisine restaurant is built on a mix of associations and traditions, natural motifs, and artisanal techniques enriched by modern technology. The space is conceived as multi-layered: the longer a guest stays, the more layers of meaning and association are revealed to them. Every decision was preceded by extensive research—visiting museums and exhibitions, studying archival photographs, reviewing specialized publications on Siberian craftsmanship and heritage, and attending contemporary Russian style exhibitions in search of collaborators. All the furniture, accent and decorative lighting fixtures, numerous panels, and carved elements were specifically designed or recreated by us for this project.
The studio’s creative challenge in this project is a dialogue with heritage: we engage with crafts and cultural objects, filtering them through the lens of modernity and the vision of a contemporary restaurant. For guests, this forms an understandable, emotional narrative where home meets forest, water meets fire, craft meets reverence for nature.
