A new espresso bar, designed Studio Vural just opened in Soho, New York, Iconic Cafe.
Studio Vural Principal, Selim Vural said the Iconic Cafe is now serving coffee on Lafayette just above Spring.Inspired by the Indian God Krishna and his lover Radha, Iconic Cafe is a contemporary reflection of a timeless love story. design process started with an accident and ended in calibrated finesse.
According to Mr. Vural when he walked into the demolition site as the design architect, he discovered a photo in the rubble; a blue man playing the flute to a pretty woman. When he researched the photo he discovered it was the Indian God Krishna, with his head-mounted peacock feather, playing his iconic flute as a gesture of love and harmony to his lover.
Enchanted with the story, he based his design of the café on this timeless love story…
“Iconic Cafe is an architectural reflection on Krishna & Radha’s timeless story adapted to NYC. We fused the richness of pattern & color in Indian art with cool, disruptive modernity of New York. Our project is a well calibrated blend of dynamic forms, 90 year old wood joists, wax finished oak paneling and amazing Mexican tiles (Indian too costly) that will take you to a multicultural consciousness in your digitized coffee break.”
Iconic Café owner Hemal Sheth, said he himself put the Krishna photo in the rubble as a gesture of religious veneration and good luck wishes in his first café. Mr. Sheth said: “The whole thing was an accident! I wanted an industrial café yet when Selim came with the picture in his hand and explained the concept, I said to myself “why not?” Lord Krishna is my God after all.”
Iconic Café is Hemal Sheth’s first ownership in the food & beverage market after 25 years of successful magazine dealership in Soho, which he still carries on. Mr. Sheth plans to expand his brand to other locations introducing earthy Indian coffee blends and vegan sandwiches. At the moment, Iconic café is roasting and serving its own brand coffee along with fresh baked goods and juices.
Credits: Selim Vural (design principal), Lena Podeur (junior designer), Kerry Robertson (graphic designer), Kate Glicksberg (photography).
