% Arabica Egypt Cairo Roastery

%ARABICA, a coffee shop brand originating in Kyoto, has opened its first roastery in U-Venues, a complex located in the heart of New Cairo, a satellite city of Cairo, Egypt. Egypt, located in North Africa through which the Nile River flows, is home to ancient ruins scattered across a vast desert region. While this region retains a strong sense of history and culture, modern urban development is also progressing daily. Inspired by this unique location and the quarries where the pyramids, a symbol of Egypt, are built, the space was concept design with the element of "stacking" in mind.

To express the irregular landscape of the quarry throughout the entire space, 800mm square limestone modules are stacked in a staircase-like fashion from the roasting room and coffee counter to the seating area, creating random movement paths and differences in elevation, resulting in a comfortable space with just the right amount of openness. Furthermore, while the barista, roaster, and bean bags are symbolically highlighted with a full-surface luminous film, the seating area uses surface illumination limited to only the benches where guests stay, creating a contrasting space. Original Arabica hieroglyphs, modeled after ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, are incorporated as interior elements on the walls of the entrance floor and niche seating areas, resulting in a space that combines traditional elements with modern expression.