Patisserie Hofer (since 1845)

Traditional patisserie with an urban vibe

The Patisserie Hofer in the centre of the old town of Bozen / Bolzano (IT) was founded in 1845 and is the oldest in the whole region; now it is running in its 6th generation. Noa* (network of architecture) has kept all the history in mind and gave the shop an urban and contemporary vibe with a cosy atmosphere.

The owner Hannes Dollinger lived and worked for years in Vienna and fell in love with the tradition of the ‘Wiener Kaffeehaus’. Cosy spaces where you can enjoy coffee and pastry for hours, reading a newspaper and having a chat with the waiter, as you would in your own living room, were his idea of the new café.

And in fact, the cosiness already starts from the doorsill. The entrance is formed by a group of vintage armchairs that create a sort of a living room and invite passing people to have a seat. In summer the façade is totally open and the chairs get part of the street and the city.

The aim in the design process was to open up the shop towards the streets, through the glazed and open able facade you can observe what is going on inside. And you can even see the lightened panel at the very back of the space showing a picture of the bakery from the beginning of the century. The history is always present in the interior design …

The central part of the shop is created by a shelf that evolves along the walls and also the ceiling like a sculpture. The clean and minimalist counter with all the sweet treats is standing underneath.

In the backside of the shop you enter an area with some tables and chairs in the tradition of the ‘Wiener Kaffeehaus’. Carpet on all the walls, the floor and the ceiling keep the atmosphere cushioned and silent … big light bulbs are hanging on each table and can be reorganized easily when tables are shifted.

The whole concept works on bringing together history and the contemporary context creating a cosy space within the city.