Floating in Utska Harbour, an angular, stepped cafe serves as a welcoming beacon with a shimmering, textured facade echoing the rhythm and patterns of the natural coastline
Project Information
Category
Residential / Developer
Location
Utska, Poland
Year
2022
Cost
Confidential
Client
Private
Architect
Ambient Studio & ACOS
Sat within the popular harbour at Utska, a small touristic fishing village on the northern coast of Poland, the Floating Harbour Cafe serves as both a tourist destination and a reliable convenience point for local workers.
The cafe is designed as a point of attraction - a beacon - similar to that of a lighthouse guiding boats in from the open sea. The architectural design aims to stand out between the cluster of fishing vessels that surround it.
Its unusual and non-contextual asymmetric, stepped angular form makes it easily distinguished from its neighbours, whilst its large picture window exhibits the warm, welcoming, vibrant atmosphere from within, enticing both regular and new customers from afar.
Taking reference from natural patterns identified along the local coastline, notably that within sand and sea, the architectural facade is designed with rhythm, texture and depth to display subtle irregularities and a gentle glow.
The technical design of the facade comprises a backlit rainscreen wrapping of lapped plastic scales, semi-translucent and semi-reflective, shimmering with the surrounding waterscape.
The new cafe sits upon an engineered hull, designed and fabricated to create a stable floating deck that remains buoyant in water. Made up of a series of functional compartments with structural intermediate walls, the hull provides essential back-of-house spaces that support the daily operations of the cafe. As such, the cafe is designed to operate efficiently within a limited, compact, yet functional space.
These natural patterns, their depth, textural qualities, subtle movements and calming qualities serve as inspiration within the architectural design of the facade.
The local coastline exhibits the ever-changing, constantly shifting patterns of the natural waterscape and landscape in both sand and sea.
The cafe is distinctly different in appearance to that of it’s floating neighbours. It’s asymmetric, stepped, angular form is easily identifiable, whilst it’s large picture window serves as the beacon that attracts customers from afar.
The cafe is designed to operate throughout the changing seasons. The outdoor terraces cater for parties enjoying the summer sun, whilst the openable picture window allows the cafe to operate as a destination for evening events, such as jazz performances.
An engineered hull supports a deck upon which the floating cafe sits. The hull, technically designed and fabricated to remain stable and buoyant within the water, is made up of a series of compartments that serve as operational spaces.
Above sea level, the upper floors host the public / commercial spaces of the cafe, it’s serving bar, outdoor terraces and its vibrant upstairs seating area.
Hidden photovoltaic panels sit upon it’s roof harnessing a sustainable and cost effective source of energy.
The facade is designed as a lightweight rainscreen facade, hung from an insulated, watertight, steel framed outer wall.
The rainscreen facade is made up of lapping plastic curtains, semi-translucent and semi-reflective, backlit within a breathable cavity behind.
The facade create depth, texture, rhythm and warmth, all referencing the natural patterns seen along the local coastline.
