May 26, 2020

Text: Jennifer Baum Lagdameo

FORM Bureau Gives St. Petersburg’s Sight. Coffee and Dine a Fresh Spin on Nature

The photogenic pink concrete bar pops against the organic patterns of the breccia floor. Photography by Dmitry Tsyrenshchikov.

Sight. Coffee and Dine is a new restaurant, located on the ground floor of a renovated, red-brick former factory building in St. Petersburg’s historic Petrogradsky district. The space was designed by Moscow-based FORM Bureau for its long-time clients, Artur and Zara Bersirov, owners of Moscow’s popular Nude. Coffee and Wine (also designed by FORM Bureau). “Their brief came in a very unusual form,” shares architect Polina Nenasheva, “Artur sent us a photo of a Lego Architecture model.”

Perhaps the most striking touch is the mirrored metal “hanging garden” sculpture by St. Petersburg sculptor Nikita Stepanenko. Photography by Dmitry Tsyrenshchikov.

The 1,615-square-foot space, which grew from the original Lego creation, is divided into two separate spaces: a casual, cafe-like entrance and a slightly more formal dining area, with a bold pink concrete bar at the center. Inspired by “nature’s interactions with the modern world,” an assortment of greenery is juxtaposed against a striking, mirrored-metal “hanging garden” creation by St. Petersburg sculptor Nikita Stepanenko, which extends from the ceiling and also functions as additional lighting. “Together we found a way to integrate light fixtures into the sculpture, so it’s a functional piece as well,” says Nenasheva.

The bar stools are Jig Mesh by Massproductions. Photography by Dmitry Tsyrenshchiko
Full-height partitions divide the space without affecting the sense of openness. Photography by Dmitry Tsyrenshchikov.
A cozy corner of the cafe section features Sila 40 dining chairs by Sancal, their different backs adding a sharp graphic element. Photography by Dmitry Tsyrenshchikov.

Read more: VyTA Restaurant by Collidanielarchitetto Brings Italian Style to London’s Covent Garden

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