Frutas Selectas, a new café in Barcelona by Skye Maunsell and Jordi Veciana for Nomad Coffee, exudes the allure of a bygone era—its subtly elegant space echoes the nostalgic charm of classic cafés.
Jordi Mestre, founder of Nomad Coffee, enlisted the architects to transform his already existing café project in the dynamic, ever-evolving Poblenou neighborhood, driven by a simple yet profound need: a space that was both soft and warm, as well as practical, with an efficiency at its core. He was adamant about steering clear of the sterile, minimalist designs that dominate cafés today. Instead, Mestre envisioned a timeless place — a quiet oasis for the local community to gather and connect.
The design team took a balanced approach to meet the client’s needs. Their first priority was to rethink the café’s layout to improve circulation, ensuring ease of movement for both customers and staff within the café’s limited space. The kitchen, bar, and seating areas were arranged in parallel, maximizing functionality. Materials played a crucial role in achieving the desired aesthetic—dark-stained wood for the bar and ceiling, zinc sheet surfaces for the bar and tabletops, polished concrete flooring, and lime mortar walls. This selection of materials, combined with an industrial touch in the form of galvanized steel doors, resulted in a space that offers a modern take on the classic café.
However, it is the wood—dark-stained okoume—that truly commands attention. This material, celebrated for its remarkable durability and refined aesthetic, adds a layer of sophistication to the space. Okoume is particularly well-suited for high-traffic environments like cafés, offering a rich, tactile finish that enhances the space’s warmth. The dark stain accentuates the natural grain of the wood, creating a deep, almost luxurious feel that contrasts beautifully with the industrial elements of the design, like the zinc surfaces and steel doors. This choice of material reflects the café’s desire to combine traditional warmth with modern functionality.
Frutas Selectas, revitalized through a thoughtful redesign and transformation, reclaims its place in Barcelona's coffee scene, now infused with a fresh, vibrant identity and a renewed energy.
