GROUNDS is a coffee hub in Prague’s developing area of Karlín. Tucked inside an inner yard of a vibrant office and residential street, the hub works as a neighborhood cafe where coffee is being served straight from its own roastery. In order to cut the costs but also learn how the architecture and spaces relate to their production processes, the construction was made hands-on and designed-by-building together with the coffee community running the place.

The project is the brainchild of roasting company Rusty Nails coffee producer Rene Kralovič, who is behind various successful hospitality projects in the Czech Republic. The idea here was to expand the concept of a roastery to the public, as well as being a platform for baristas and coffee experts to educate themselves and be part of a community.

Translucent duplex object allows natural light through to the various functions of the hub, all integrated and connected within the unit.The further spaces from the entrance are dedicated to the in-house coffee production. The built-in inner room is made for the coffee testing, functioning both as the showroom of the professional barista machines and educational workshops and competitions. The object’s front side is dedicated to the cafeteria and the sale of the coffee to the final users. Towards the sidewall, a suspended tangerine-colored staircase leads to the upper working space, enveloped by an organically shaped corrugated plastic wall. The organically designed plan allows nooks in which a variety of plants are growing and working as a source of natural air purifiers, dust collectors.
The interior was built by 80% construction site waste of a previously dismantled project, applying the architect’s objective on reducing the issues related to construction site waste in the country.