Sweet Alchemy, image courtesy Kois Associated Architects

The project is the design of the new ‘Sweet Alchemy‘ pastry shop in Athens Greece.

The store is located in the up market suburb of Kifisia in the northern region of Athens. The client is Stelios Parliaros who is considered to be the best Patisserie in Greece, author of many culinary books and host of a very popular patisserie show in Greek TV.

Sweet Alchemy, image courtesy Kois Associated Architects

Alchemy a notion associated with darkness mystery and mysticism practiced in laboratories full of peculiar enigmatic devices, rare distils crystals and potions. These images were the starting point for the development of a central idea, the recreation of this atmosphere in a contemporary outtake.

Sweet Alchemy, image courtesy Kois Associated Architects

The space is characterized by the high degree of transparency which was manipulated in order to diffuse the light and filter the optic penetration. The role of light was highly regarded and thoroughly studied since the beginning in order to create a unique solution for the particular location and user. Light and shadow change throughout the day giving the space a unique atmosphere every moment. Serenity is followed by tension and drama.

Sweet Alchemy, image courtesy Kois Associated Architects

The punctured bronze skin of the main facades creates the impression of the chamber of treasures, of the golden cage which encloses the precious, the rare commodity, the sin of the pleasure of the forbidden fruit.

The philosophy behind the choice of materials was in tune with the philosophy of our client. Selection of the raw materials and no substitutes, Iron, bronze, copper and wood were selected for their natural characteristics and were only processed but not altered in order emulate an appearance.

Sweet Alchemy, image courtesy Kois Associated Architects

Our purpose was not the stenographic representation of a mystic environment but the formulation of the spirit of the place, the ‘genius loci’, the atmosphere that will saturate the space and will transform it to a true place with its very own distinctive character. The sense of mythical, the mysterious discovery and the transition to an other reality were the characteristics of the ‘Sweet Alchemy’ of Mr. Parliaros and those we wanted to transfuse to the new store.

+ Design: Kois Associated Architects

+ All images courtesy Kois Associated Architects

REK Coffee Table, image courtesy Reinier de Jong

Rotterdam-based design studio Reinier de Jong Architecture & Design recently has created the REK Coffee Table.

REK is a coffee table that grows with your coffee needs. When you have visitors, just get some chairs and extend the table any way you like. Enough space for all those coffee cups and store your book or knitting set in the spaces underneath the tops.

You can extend REK in various ways. Built-in stops make sure you will not extend the sliding parts too far. Of course you can also put REK in a permanent position that fits your interior.

REK Coffee Table, image courtesy Reinier de Jong

The top and two sides of REK are white HPL and the edges are finished with your choice of parquet wood: oak, berch or beech. The end grain side of the wood is beveled in order to get a grip: A subtle detail. The dimensions of REK table obviously vary with its configuration. REK is 60 by 80 cm in collapsed state, its maximum lenth is 170 cm and its maximum width is 130 cm. REK coffee table is related to another REK by Reinier de Jong Design: the bookcase that grows with your book collection.

REK Coffee Table, image courtesy Reinier de Jong

Reinier de Jong is designer and architect. He designs furniture, interiors, houses and other buildings. He is best known for some furniture designs like REK bookcase, KEER chair and VOLT table.

+ Designer: Reinier de Jong | http://www.reinierdejong.com

+ All images courtesy Reinier de Jong

+ More projects by Reinier de Jong on +MOOD

DEX Desk | Reinier de Jong Architecture & Design

'DUB' Staircase | Reinier de Jong Design