New lounge bar
with a laid-back
atmosphere
in Töölö
- SCOPE
- Gota Bar & Bites
- Helsinki
- 100 m²
- Hospitality
- Spatial design
- Graphic design
Gota Bar & Bites is the second restaurant we designed for restaurateur Ari Zerza. The establishment is an urban lounge bar serving tasty drinks and snacks. The restaurant space of roughly 100 m² and terrace were designed and renovated in the span of just one month. We were responsible for the project’s interior architecture and graphic identity.
Gota is
the latest
addition to the
restaurant family
Gota’s interior design has similarities with its sister restaurant Miljöö. Both have, for example, a chequered floor and golden glass wall decals on the facade.
Gota Bar & Bites
Located next to Korjaamo, Töölö sports hall and the Olympic Stadium, Gota is perfect for having a drink while enjoying a cultural day out, laid-back dining with friends or watching a sporting event with a larger group.
A compact yet highly flexible space
The restaurant can accommodate around fifty customers, and the terrace can accommodate another thirty. In addition to the quick implementation, the goal was to build something that made sense from a business perspective.
“The idea is for Miljöö and Gota to support each other. They’re run by the same people, but their customer segments differ and the busiest seasons are focused around different times of year,” says restaurateur Ari Zerza.
The spaces were designed according to the following objectives:
- Doors open in the span of a month
- Suitable for a wide range of uses
- Visual familiarity to Bistro & Bar Miljöö
Customers have been quick to discover Gota and grown fond of it: “The goals I had set were exceeded already in the first month. Many call Gota “The Pearl of Töölö” because its quality is a cut above many of the bars in the area – every detail has been thought through,” says Ari.
The laid-back atmosphere invites customers to relax and have a good time
Gota is a casual urban restaurant. Every inch of the restaurant has been carefully designed to accommodate groups of different sizes and suit different purposes: the bar with its high seats is perfect for drinks, there are tables for dining and the lounge area with a TV screen is suited also to larger group gatherings.
“We designed the restaurant space to accommodate as many customers as possible, and the furniture layout can be adapted according to needs. The tables in the middle area can be moved freely, and the TV screen can be covered up with curtains if necessary. We also made use of the window recesses by placing customised sofa furniture in them,” says lead designer Riina Ruska.
The restaurant can be adapted to suit different atmospheres and events. On the back wall, for example, there is a large TV screen for watching sports events, which can be covered with curtains if desired.
The pendant lights hanging above the tables put the food and drinks in the spotlight.
A lounge bar that’s a cut above the rest
In order to open the restaurant in just one month, existing surfaces, structures and furniture were used as much as possible. The missing furniture was purchased as used directly from supplier warehouses. The blue and yellow colour scheme came from Ari’s son.
“Blue and yellow are also particularly fitting because they’re the colours of the Seagulls, whom we sponsor. The colours can also be found on the flag of Kosovo – our family originates from Kosovo,” says Ari.
Photos: Mikael Pettersson