Cozy and Compact Interior of Cross Fingers Café by OFIST

Project: Cross Fingers
Architects: Ofist
Location: Alkent Etiler, Istanbul, Turkey
Area: 1291 sq ft
Year: 2022
Photos: Courtesy of Ofist

Cross Fingers by OFIST

The Cross Fingers project was developed by the studio Ofist with the aim of creating a global interior reflecting the soul of Istanbul.

The new Cross Fingers branch is located in the popular residential area Alkent, Etiler, Istanbul. This modern territory caters to a universal audience and residents where the space is used as a gathering place for customers with delicious burger cuisine, art beer, and specialty cocktails.

Our task was to create a global interior design that would not surprise if seen in any European city, yet still reflect the soul of Istanbul. Exciting but not shocking. A place that makes you feel good through materials that are neither new nor original, yet their combination and application create harmony throughout the space. New or traditional materials are perceived in a unified style.

Familiar materials that age gracefully and do not wear out. A sense of belonging to their atmosphere, as if they have been there for a long time. This connection to the environment prompted a neighbor's comment: 'How cute, that you kept the original floor tiles,' referring to the completely new black-and-white mosaic flooring.

To connect the small and cozy interior with the surrounding district, our solutions were aimed at eliminating boundaries, creating a feeling that you are inside when outside and vice versa.

Sweet, warm, uplifting, colorful and lively. An energetic space with a quality music system including great indie and rock tracks. The entire space functions as a tool for communication and interaction. Visual elements and graphics were designed with this goal in mind. Collaboration with Piknik Works, for a spotlight on the ceiling.

The visual story designed by Piknik Works was specially created for the Cross Fingers Etiler café ceiling and is based on the world of Cross Fingers. Taking the top point of the ceiling as the central reference, drawing from medieval ceiling murals but using 21st-century characters and narratives, the story is presented in a spiral suitable for an arched ceiling.

-Project description and images provided by pRchitect