Bistro Proti Proudu – IN COFFEE WE TRUST.

DETAILS: At Bistro Proti Proudu in Karlin, Czech Republic (part of Prague) the cafe’s motto, IN COFFEE WE TRUST, is boldly and prominently etched into the rusted steel counter for all to see.

But a look at the extensive wiring on the walls and ceiling tells another story, that of Karlin-born tech hero Frantisek Krizik, an electrical engineer and entrepreneur who in the late 1800’s invented an automatic electric arc lamp and eventually electrified Prague. The decor, and the coffee, gives old meanings of ‘wired’ new life for the next generation of technology entrepreneurs.

Say the designers, Mimosa architekti and Modulora, “The main bar wall, made of white perforated plywood, creates a grid, which all the components on the wall connect to – from the sliding targets of wires to the paper roll with daily menu.”

“The network of wires, stretching from the switches behind the counter to the lights above the tables, draws attention to the connection between staff and guests. Each of the lights is operated separately, location of the switches on the wall grid reflects the real position of the lights in the room. The lights turn on and off as guests come and go. Every time the door opens, it lights a new spark in the bistro.”

“The plywood texture softly reflects stone floor pattern, as well as the oak board of the counter and individual tables. Steel elements preserve their unrefined black iron character. The only exception is the rusty counter with the motto that will never rust – IN COFFEE WE TRUST.”