Beacon of white

16 : 11 : 2015 Vegetarian Restaurant : Soviet Style : Kiev

Kiev – Vegetarian restaurant Orang+Utan shies away from the traditional interior design of a healthy eating establishment, preferring a minimalist aesthetic.

  • Interior inspired by the uniform tiles of the former USSR
  • Splashes of coloured fruit and greenery hint at the healthy menu
Orang+Utan by AKZ Architectura, Kiev Orang+Utan by AKZ Architectura, Kiev
Orang+Utan by AKZ Architectura, Kiev Orang+Utan by AKZ Architectura, Kiev
Orang+Utan by AKZ Architectura, Kiev Orang+Utan by AKZ Architectura, Kiev
Orang+Utan by AKZ Architectura, Kiev Orang+Utan by AKZ Architectura, Kiev
Orang+Utan by AKZ Architectura, Kiev Orang+Utan by AKZ Architectura, Kiev

The interior, designed by Ukrainian studio AKZ Architectura, features stark white tiling and white neon lettering. The aim was to create a bright, white, inviting space amid the Soviet-era buildings that surround the restaurant.

The architects hinted at the healthy menu with pink-painted fruit at the counter and a veritable forest of green plants hidden in the bathroom, to add a dose of nature. ‘We created a green zone to make customers feel like they are in a natural habitat,’ they told Dezeen. ‘The idea was to create a place that would show costumers the idea behind Orang+Utan bar. The city is a jungle and people who live there are smart animals. They need a place to refill energy.’

The tiles used throughout also reference Kiev’s Soviet past, when ‘there was only one type of tile for everything’.

The Big Picture

As healthy eating changes from fad to permanent lifestyle choice, newer establishments are shying away from the visual stereotypes of wellness. For more, see the dark allure of juice bar Owen + Alchemy.

Discover More Daily Signals
Whitechapel Gallery celebrates 125 years with a human-centric visual rebrand

Daily Signals

Whitechapel Gallery celebrates 125 years with a human-centric visual rebrand

East London arts institution Whitechapel Gallery is ushering in its 125th anniversary with a bold new visual identity designed by BBH Studios, unve...
Design : Breading : Human Centered Design
UK watchdog clamps down on vague sustainability claims in fashion ads

Daily Signals

UK watchdog clamps down on vague sustainability claims in fashion ads

The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned Google adverts from global fashion brands Lacoste, Nike and Superdry after ruling that th...
Sustainable : Fashion : Advertising
Stat: Kids ask for gaming gifts this festive period and want their parents to join them

Daily Signals

Stat: Kids ask for gaming gifts this festive period and want their parents to join them

New research from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) suggests video games will dominate kids’ Christmas wish lists th...
Technology : Gaming : Youth
Ikea launches furniture and décor collection that frames play as a part of the entire home

Daily Signals

Ikea launches furniture and décor collection that frames play as a part of the entire home

At Miami Art Week, Ikea used its Open House Miami installation to frame play as an everyday design principle rather than a zone limited to children...
Design : Retail : Play
Foresight Friday: Emily Rhodes, creative lead

Daily Signals

Foresight Friday: Emily Rhodes, creative lead

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, creative lead Emily Rhode...
Design
Stat: UK anxiety about rapid cultural change accelerates

Daily Signals

Stat: UK anxiety about rapid cultural change accelerates

Public unease about the pace and direction of cultural change in the UK is intensifying, with new research revealing a sharp rise in perceptio...
Statistic : Society : Culture
Mantle borrows transplant-grade science for next-gen serum

Daily Signals

Mantle borrows transplant-grade science for next-gen serum

Swedish skincare brand Mantle is pushing medi-beauty into new territory with The Organ Essence, a serum that borrows its core actives from the pres...
Beauty : Science : Health
New study finds week-long digital detoxes improve youth mental health

Daily Signals

New study finds week-long digital detoxes improve youth mental health

A study published in JAMA Network Open in November 2025 suggests that taking a break from social media could deliver measurable mental health benef...
Technology : Youth : Social Media
Stat: Africa leads the AI adoption race for business

Daily Signals

Stat: Africa leads the AI adoption race for business

Africa is emerging as a frontrunner in workplace AI adoption, with 64% of workers reporting usage in the past year – well above the global average ...
Artificial Intelligence : Work : Statistic
Oloris transforms scent into a multi-sensory experience

Daily Signals

Oloris transforms scent into a multi-sensory experience

A new prototype from Pitch Studios, a creative agency based between London and Amsterdam, and Gentle Systems, an engineering studio in Berlin, is r...
Design : Technology : Fragrance
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN