Mechanical beauty: A new industrial revolution

The designer has retained the industrial aesthetic throughout the interior of Atelier Mechanic, which is housed inside a former factory building. Cristian used reclaimed industrial relics from the 1950s to 1970s alongside vintage furniture and graphic prints.

An L-shaped, solid wooden bar softens the coldness of the concrete floor and metallic furniture, and a bright red painted beam adds a highlight of colour cutting across the room.

‘Romanians have an uncomfortable relationship with their past, which usually ends up in simply erasing it,’ explains the designer. ‘Atelier Mechanic is a take on the industrialisation of the country during communism.’

In the digital age, many consumers are developing a fascination with all things analogue and mechanical. For more information, see the Mechanical Beauty section of our Survivability design direction.