Kyiv-based design studio YOD Group has cladded the walls of a pastry shop in eggshell plaster in Lviv, Ukraine. 

Named Cukiernia, the project has emerged as the transformation of an iconic Lviv pastry shop that has been in existence since 2000.

In the heart of Lviv, Cukiernia occupies the first floor of a historic building. 

Due to the subtle aristocracy of the presentation and the superb quality of the elaborate confections made using traditional recipes, the location is well-known to both locals and tourists. 

"Work on the project began with a search for new meanings and symbols for Cukiernia," said YOD Group. 

"It was important not only to update the design, but also to rethink the general concept and to boost the iconic brand with fresh energy. 

"At the same time, it was important to preserve the DNA of the place, delicately defining the continuity of tradition as one of its core values," the studio added.

This project's main strategy has been to experiment with subtleties and work with monomaterials, according to the studio. 

Two essential materials and a number of auxiliary ones are combined in the interior. The primary ones are marble and a special eggshell plaster, while the supporting ones are made of noble brass and light wood.

The floor and countertops in the interior are covered in Italian marble, which has a warm, creamy, brownish color scheme. 

The idea of caramel or cream in layered cakes is echoed by the caramel veins in the marble's natural pattern. Guests experience a sense of fullness and luxury through touch and sound when they interact with natural stone.

A special material created specifically for the project that is based on eggshells covers the walls of Cukiernia. After all, practically every dish on the Cukiernia menu includes pastries, of which eggs are a staple ingredient. 

To make the egg plaster, more than a ton of shells were donated by one of the Ukrainian poultry farms.

Before being combined with a unique glued base, the shell was carefully cleaned, dried, and crushed to the necessary fraction. 

The ideal degree of grinding, formula, and application technique were determined after numerous trials. 

In order to prevent guests' clothing from catching on and their hands from getting scratched by unintentional touches to the walls, it was crucial to make the eggshells visually guessed on the wall surface without going overboard with relief or abrasiveness.

The material's shade presented another struggles. The interior needed a warmer shade because the eggshells from the poultry farm were white. 

The location itself saved the day, as Cukiernia's confectioners, who kept up their business throughout the project's preparation, gathered brown egg shells to use in their confections. 

The desired plaster tone was achieved by combining 200 kilograms of red shells with 1,300 kilograms of white shells.

Three halls make up Cukiernia's space. The first one, which serves as the entrance, features a multi-tiered candy display case. Before choosing, guests are free to stroll around and peruse the assortment of cakes, cookies, and pastries. Additionally, there is a staircase leading to the second floor, featuring dynamic, rounded wooden banisters.

The bar island in the second hall is structurally similar to the showcase in the first hall. Chairs from the Ukrainian company Woo are situated next to the bar counter.

There are multiple seating options in the third and largest hall, including a long communal table and small tables for one or two people. The lack of natural light was one of the room's biggest drawbacks. 

Designers used a light color scheme and simple arched niches—windows that connect adjacent halls—to visually fill the halls with air. The simple pendant lights from the Spanish company Aromas del Campo accentuate the arches' and furniture's rounded shapes.

Time-tested bentwood chairs from the Cukiernia's interior were remained. They have been partially painted white and restored, resembling icing-glazed cookies. Additionally, they replaced the old tables' wooden bases with round marble tops. 

The idea of traditions is reinforced by the enormous antique cabinet that is situated next to the communal table. This one-of-a-kind piece of Lviv Secession-era furniture arrived in Cukiernia from the venue's owner's private collection.

"We aimed not just to update the space of the iconic pastry shop, but also to give it a fresh interpretation," said Volodymyr Nepiyvoda, founder of YOD Group. 

"We wanted to disassemble the Cukiernia brand and reassemble it, reinforcing its quality and nobility with new visual manifestations."

"That is how we came to laconicism, monomaterials, and eggshell bio-plaster. The result is an airy and emotionally comfortable interior that does not distract attention from the main product – the legendary Lviv pastries," Nepiyvoda added.

Floor plan

The commercial design studio YOD Group expanded into a development and design firm after gaining extensive experience in the hospitality industry. 

The company focuses on developing profitable businesses that innovate and revolutionize the hospitality sector. They have brought together experts from the highest echelons of their respective fields.

Project facts

Project name: Cukiernia

Design: YOD Group

Location: 3 Staroyevreiska Street, Lviv. Ukraine

Area: 165 m2/ 1776.045ft²

Year: 2024

Design team: Volodymyr Nepyivoda, Dmytro Bonesko, Nataliya Timoshenko, Serhii Prudkyi, Andriy Babych

Graphic design: PRAVDA design (Ilya Nepravda)

All images © Yevhenii Avramenko.

All drawings © YOD Group.

> via YOD Group

eggshell plaster pastry shop shop YOD Group