Bursa Bar , Kyiv – Ukraine

This bar is a reflection of contemporary Japanese culture immersed in the world of cocktails and music. Located in the heart of the Podil, on the first floor of the Bursa Hotel, in the historical center of Kiev. Our studio was tasked with creating a small, yet cozy music bar that would attract vinyl record enthusiasts and live-set lovers every weekend, becoming a hub for musicians and vinyl collectors from around the world.
The space features simple and functional zoning: upon entry, there’s a DJ booth and vinyl collection, in the center – a dance floor for guests’ free movement, and on both sides – bar counters for cocktails and snacks. Special attention is paid to acoustic design. The sound is created using some of the best acoustic systems – devonojas. The architect’s idea was to create a space reminiscent of a musical instrument, where every visitor would feel like they’re inside a giant music speaker or guitar, surrounded by a cozy atmosphere of plywood.
In our design, we aimed to subtly implement the features of the Eastern style: orthogonal lines, clean shapes, the horizontal orientation of objects, the vertical rhythm of walls, and the orthogonal ceiling. The main material used is plywood, which serves as the basis for wall, ceiling, and furniture decoration, creating a unique atmosphere. Additionally, stainless steel is used for countertops in windows and chair legs. Lighting plays a crucial role in creating the evening atmosphere. We combined accent lighting for guest seating areas, creating small bright spots, and used soft linear lighting to emphasize vinyl shelves and exquisite drinks. This way, every guest feels special. The intensity of the lighting can be adjusted to create various moods for different areas of the establishment.
One of the challenges was to ensure quality sound insulation considering the hotel rooms located above. This led to lowering the ceiling level, but it allowed us to create a more intimate atmosphere by adding a lattice structure where we placed lighting fixtures and ventilation systems. Considering the existing layout and decoration of the premises, integrating new volumetric and spatial solutions into the existing framework and visual context posed additional challenges. Most of the decoration and furniture elements were custom-made by Ukrainian craftsmen. Table lamps are from &Tradition, and the music speakers were selected from devonojas.