Affogato is an art gallery-inspired ice cream and café shop with a simple interior

Mumbai-based architecture studio kaviar:collaborative has designed an ice cream and café shop in Mumbai, India, with simple and soft interiors.

The 56 square meter space, called Affogato, is reminiscent of an underground art gallery and is inspired by the small private art galleries in the side streets of the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York.

kaviar:collaborative explores the concept of an ice cream and café shop that functions as an underground art gallery with Affogato. The space is designed as a simple, monochromatic volume that features soft curves and textures inspired by ice cream swirls.

The arrangement of ice cream and coffee takes center stage on top of the stone blocks, similar to how sculptures and works of art are displayed on pedestals in an art gallery.

“We wanted to treat the components of ‘Affogato’ as works of art rather than mere everyday objects by creating a space that celebrates them,” said kaviar:collaborative.

“When we first visited this website, our minds immediately drifted back to our time in New York, visiting these small private art galleries on the back streets of Manhattan’s Lower East Side.”

“These were literally tiny spaces with large glass facades and bare interiors, with the art on display being the focal point that drew people in.”

“We wanted to play with this idea for the café, with a unique texture for all surfaces – walls, ceiling and floor – and make the coffee and gelato the heroes of the space,” the studio added.

Three materials were used for the design: concrete, stone and wood.

Both the interior and exterior are deliberately kept simple. The entire volume of the room is covered with a smooth layer of beige micro-concrete that extends over the ceiling, walls and floor.

The beautiful swirls, reminiscent of gelato swirls, are created by hand when the concrete surface is applied to the walls, ceiling and floor.

A ladle is used for this. The pedestals, also called counters, on which the supplies, coffee machines, ice machines and other equipment are located, are covered with stone. The wood of the minimalist furniture adds warmth.