Project name: Cultural Code Cafe
Interior design: Mast Architecture Studio
Location: Moscow, Russia
Photo: Daniel Annenkov
Area: 88 sq.m
Year: 2025
Project description from design firms Mast Architecture Studio
The second café of the “Cultural Code” project has opened On Baumanskaya Street — an author’s interior created by Mast Architecture Studio.
This is not a commission but the studio’s own project, where the architects acted as both designers and clients.
We wanted to create a café “for our own” right in the neighborhood. And we made. The project was appreciated not only by us but also by local residents and people coming from the city center.
“Coffee in the morning, wine in the evening” quickly became our slogan. That was when we realized that this format is worth developing further. The next location was Baumanskaya Street.
Location: as with the first café on Chayanova Street, the new spot is located outside the classical city center. Both “Cultural Codes” are situated between the Garden Ring and the Third Transport Ring, in residential quarters where people live, study and work. The Baumanskaya district is not tourist-oriented but very dynamic: it is home to Bauman Moscow State Technical University, many creative studios, workshops, artists, writers, and local residents.
Concept
The space we received was unusual: the building once housed a bank, later offices and a café. The windows were small and the light entered unevenly.
We decided not to try to make the space brighter, but instead to keep the gray base as a working background.
A new white volume, an architectural insert inside the space, divides the halls and forms the overall composition.
Three key materials became the foundation: gray, white and metal.
It was important for us not to imitate but to assemble the interior from authentic pieces. Almost all the furniture is vintage from Europe: chairs, a massive wooden table from the early 20th century. The rest of the tables and surfaces has been designed by our team.
The yellow floor became the main accent. It connects the spaces, unites the elements of the interior, and creates rhythm. This idea was born in the personal apartment’s project of Vladislav (the founder of Mast and Cultural Code), but was realized only here. In fact color became one of our focuses this year: a green floor in the Nene restaurant, a yellow one here.
Design
The layout is rational:
* a large hall with a bar counter
* a smaller hall
* a kitchen with its own bakery
* storage and utility zones
The bar is composed of two contrasting blocks:
* stainless steel with a display for pastries and drinks
* a wooden part, the working area for baristas and waiters
Behind the bar, you can both work and enjoy a cup of coffee. Everything is united by the bright yellow floor — the emotional entry point of the interior.
Lighting is another key element.
We used Aledo technical lighting, Davide Groppi Sampei floor lamps, the SWAN wall lamp by Nemo in matte black, and the Parentesi pendant by Flos in a hidden room. Light is not just a function, but a precise work with atmosphere.
There are works by Roma Peeks, Evgenia Chubarova and Rinata Mustafina on the walls – artists we have long collaborated with. Art is not a background, but a part of the environment.
Work on the space began in December 2024. There were delays: we waited for lighting, furniture and tuned the rhythm. The opening was planned for April but happened in May. We were not just delivering a site, but bringing it to a state, where you can be yourself.
Today
Today Cultural Code lives a full life.
Locals with children and friends come here for bread after a morning run. Running groups start here on Saturdays. There are film screenings, sports broadcasts, lectures, tastings in the evenings.
This place has brought together students, grandparents, freelancers, artists and their friends. It is not just a café, but a part of the neighborhood that has grown out of our idea and become a place for everyone.
