Located inside the recently developed Bomonti Historic Brewery, Kilimanjaro is a casual restaurant-bar that is an integral part of Bomontiada – the new art, culture and entertainment base of Istanbul. With interiors designed by Istanbul-based, multidisciplinary studio Autoban, the venue boasts a contemporary social environment inside a historic, industrial building, with careful attention given to its scale and original texture.
While staying true to the factory typology of the space, Autoban has also paid homage to the building’s former use by choosing materials that are relevant to the times while it was still an active production plant – a time when artisan tradition played a collective part within industrial production. Therefore, starting with the multi-layered interior shell, a tactile mix of materials in natural finishes that bear traces of craftsmanship were found appropriate. Such choice of materials and artisan detailing were also helpful in softening the severity of the industrial atmosphere.
With its structural form and massive volume, the curvaceous bar placed at the centre, almost in the manner of an art installation, is the focal point of Kilimanjaro. While dining room seating is organized around the bar; the DJ booth – another centre of attention as the outcome of the venue’s music policy – is realized as a piece of crafted furniture to be integrated into the dining area.
As another showcase of the studio’s trademark multi-layered approach to interiors, the original exposed brickwork of the building is contrasted by massive wood paneling that frame the space at parapet level. Bearing a 3D geometric pattern on its surface, specially designed for the project by Autoban, this wooden shell is installed at a certain distance from the constructive contours of the building, making room to hide away all the technical components. The same surface pattern is reworked in 2D on the wood flooring resulting in a textural unity.
At Kilimanjaro, the entire furniture and lighting units are custom-designed by Autoban, with emphasis given to raw materials in special finishings that highlight the industrial background of the space. The indoor-outdoor relationship is maintained by applying similar design ideas and material choices to Kilimanjaro’s outdoor terrace that open up to the inner courtyard of the complex. Here, cast iron tables and wooden benches circulate around trees, while a purpose-built box – placed immediately at the main entrance door – bears a continuation of the interior paneling on its inner surfaces.
Info and images courtesy of Autoban
Photography Engin Aydeniz
