Shisha lounges are no longer a phenomenon exclusive to the Middle East. Mind you, the delights of sitting back with friends over smoking a pipe and sipping tea is increasingly appreciated in the rest of the world, and yes, including Moscow. On the outskirts of this sprawling city, in the residential Golovinskiy neighbourhood, a newly opened shisha lounge and tea bar pulls a savvy local crowd to its doorstep with a setting that was inspired first hand by Morocco‘s many splendorous sights in both its cities and countryside. Called Vodniy, named after the eponymous 29-floor residential building where it’s situated, the venue occupies a 165 sqm. (1,776 sq.ft.) unit on the ground floor, and features an interior design by architects Aleksey Klimov and Yevgeny Cherkas of Minsk-based architecture practice Atelier Prototipi.
The duo had been on a recent trip to the North African country, and mesmerised by what they’ve seen, the design for the new establishment is obviously rife with references. The setting sees a myriad of cozy nooks, arches and unexpected viewpoints which effortlessly conjure up the mystique of an old Medina. Walls stuccoed in warm terracotta-coloured plaster and flooring of concrete and terrazzo form the backdrop of sculptural sofas and tables with circular marble tops. In a minimalist space like this, details stand out, so special attention has also been given to lighting. Created in collaboration with Russian design studio Wishnya, a series of custom fixtures have been made. Boosting the sense of mystique even further at Vodniy, is a curated number of artworks and decorative objects, such as a stepped pedestal decorated with burning candles, a Giacometti-inspired sculpture, and circular conceptual paintings by the Belarusian artist Vadik Fin.
Vodniy
Golovinskoye Shosse 7 (Golovinskiy)
125212 Moscow
Telephone: +7 968 4380000
Daily 2pm-12pm
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
