Work submitted for the competition
"Best Interior Diploma 2021/2023".
The present work is an attempt to create a contemporary interior of a chocolate pump room in a place with a rich history. The theme of the work refers to the tradition of Warsaw and the first thought that comes to mind is the company E. Wedel, one of the most famous Polish chocolate companies in the world.
I took as the goal of the work the design of a chocolate pump room set in today's reality, using available materials. I carried out the project in an existing chocolate pump room at 8 Szpitalna Street in Warsaw. The Old Fashioned Shop is a unique place on the map of Warsaw, both for locals and tourists.
The premise of the new arrangement was to create a modern,
comfortable interior referring to the tradition of the E.Wedel family.
© Marta Dymek
According to the assumptions, all inspirational references in the created space come from before 1945, from the time when the company belonged to the Wedel family. It was then that Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz called the Staroświecki Sklep his "eldorado." The project was supposed to be a nod to the "Honored Public," that is, the customers of the place. In many sources I found information about the exceptional treatment of customers by the owners of the company and about the unusual, even magical store on Szpitalna Street.
© Marta Dymek
The designed service space consists of three rooms: one located from Szpitalna Street and two from Górskiego Street. All rooms have tables for customers. Opposite the entrance from Górskiego Street, in an alcove, a checkroom for customers of the pump room has been created, necessary for the convenience of guests and the aesthetics of the premises. Currently, clothes can be left on hangers set up in various places in the pump room or the backs of the seats.
The project is being implemented in the existing chocolate pump room at 8 Szpitalna Street in Warsaw.
© Marta Dymek
The premise of the new arrangement was to create a modern, comfortable interior that refers to the wonderful tradition passed down from generation to generation in the Wedel family. The project is a tribute to the family that created this beautiful history of over 170 years. The proposed color scheme is not accidental, it refers to the descriptions of the Old Fashioned Shop.
The mirrors used in the designed space have an aged glass panel
© Marta Dymek
A lot of gilding appears in the design, as well as blue, navy and gray. There are large mirrors on the walls, corresponding to the shape of the windows in the townhouse. Mirrors are an element that appears in pre-war cafes and pastry shops; those used in the designed space have an aged glass panel. They introduce a mysterious element into the interior, which is meant to transport the viewer into the world of the pre-war Old Fashioned Shop.
cross sections of the pump room
© Marta Dymek
The lighting in the designed space has retained its character. Modern chandeliers were used in the design. The selected light fixtures are not just a source of light - they are works of art created through the craftsmanship of Italian designer Sergio Terzani.
Marta DYMEK
Illustrations: © Author
