design : Ark4labOfArchitecture construction : Lentaris Konstantinos project team : Giorgos TyrothoulakisEvdokia Voudouri location : Mitropoleos str , Thessaloniki year : 2015 state: completed photos by: N. Vavdinoudis-Ch.Dimitriou /studiovd.gr
In the heart of Thessaloniki’s market , you can find among the retail shops the lounge bar cheval . A two story bar cafe experience tends to be an ideal shopping break for those who are slaves to materiality. Near the entrance a horse-headed human figure welcomes you to the main bar made from chevron shaped concrete blocks. Rusted walls , reed panels, leather seats , hanging plants andwood are combined with a parametric 3d shaped pattern made of folded metal blocks on the top . This contrast of rough and sharp materiality makes a contemporary urban bar where you can find fine cocktails and stylized food.
Cheval is a project dealing with what we call ‘ nomad way of living’. The horse headed man symbolizes the new ‘ nomads’ who loves to travel mentally and physically. A collage wall of horse man journey pictures, souvenirs stick on the walls , a fireplace full of books , stands made of suitcases are details which reminds you what Rolf Potts said ‘ If in doubt, just walk until your day becomes interesting ‘ .
Cheval does this with elegance –it conforms without compromising its guiding aesthetics. Thus, there’s neon; there’s a sarcastic commentary of a fireplace; there’s the known tug of war of a restaurant claiming its space next to a bar, a lounge, and so on. Cheval remains wonderfully coherent throughout all this, by enjoying the corresponding materiality at the same time that it invites its patrons to generally escape it. It all makes for a somewhat meta personality. And a very endearing one, as well.
