Yatofu reflects on the values of “local production” in its cavernous concept for El Fant Café & Bar. The interior design celebrates the use of local solid pine from Northern Finland, used as a raw material for the custom furniture created for the space. Enlisting the talents of a younger generation of local craftsmen, Yatofu further embraces the core spirit of the concept, embodied through the authentic and unique interpretation of a widely shared value: “from locals, with love”. An ode to the young creative spirits that permeate the city, El Fant provides a relaxed and contemporary atmosphere for people and ideas to gather around food, coffee and wine.

Inspired by the abundant history and vibrant community energy of El Fant’s surroundings, Yatofu proposed to recreate El Fant Café & Bar as a destination which would not only inject more creative energy into Helsinki’s old town, but also in investigating the unique potential of contemporary Finnish design. The design perspective would explore the balance between the novelty of a unique interior concept and the heritage of local values and traditional materials.

The use of pine as a lasting building material has been a long-revered practice in Finnish craftsmanship. It elicits ideals that surround the topics of nature, purity, sincerity, and practicality. Collaborating closely with Puutamo —a carpentry workshop spearheaded by young female carpenter, Eveliina Ylönen— Yatofu opted to use 4 centimeter-thick pine boards to fashion all custom furniture pieces in the space. Finland is also known for its production of steel; thus the decision was made to enlist the help of Paja&Bureau —a custom production studio led by two talented designer/craftsmen who specialize in working with all things metal— in producing custom built-in fixtures out of galvanized steel.

The spatial arrangement of the café & bar is simple yet effective, designed to enhance the sequential experience of the main design interventions in the space. As guests enter through the front door and into the central bar area, they are greeted by a large custom bar table and chairs set which doubles as a buffet table for lunch service and private events. The two dining rooms to the side are furnished with custom Pine bistro tables and a mix of solid pine dining chairs from the Finnish brand Vaarnii, and a series of custom red pine benches and natural pine stools. The simple yet versatile layout allows the space to transform from a café during the day, to a bar in the evening with ease.

Through close collaboration with young Finnish craftsmen and a minimalistic hand in the manipulation of raw materials, Yatofu discusses and explores new possibilities of local sourcing and local production. By blending contemporary design with traditional materials and methods, a new form of connection can be made between the old and the new, resulting in a bold yet effortless interpretation of “inspired by context”.