The Aesthetic LKKR (Lekker Urban Food House) Brings A Space with Natural Impression
LKKR or Lekker Urban Food House Kebun Bunga is a two-storey café located precisely near a football field in Medan. It is the second branch of the café, aside from LKKR Putri Hijau branch. The café sits on 360-square-metre land and gets built by maximising the existing land.
The project was carried out in less than a year, started before the COVID-19 pandemic happened and finished in the beginning of the pandemic. Hence, the café really felt the pandemic and lockdown impacts as many might not know this second branch of LKKR had opened.
Previously a dwelling house, the two-storey café is expanded by still using some of the old pillars. The project challenge came from the process of determining which existing structure should be maintained and replaced. Another challenging issue is the hot indoor temperature, resulting in the use of air conditioners to keep the room temperature stable.
Bringing a space with natural impression as the owner's brief, a unique look and feeling are designed for both café exterior and interior. The café interior also use colour tones that deepen a natural impression.
The high ceiling is also one of the designer's effort to give a natural, comfortable, and spacious impression to the space, while also following the trend and maximising the indoor air circulation. Both indoor and outdoor area in the café are aesthetically designed, creating an eye-pleasing space. This "instagrammable" and aesthetic interior is completed with custom-made furniture, artworks, and action figures personally chosen from the owner's collection.
Natural materials are also chosen for the project. For example, as the owner wants mosaic elements on the wall, painted ceramics are utilised to create interesting mosaic easily.
LKKR café merges with the existing KOALA gelato café located at the entrance area. Though KOALA was designed with floral ornaments and bold colours in contrast with the LKKR interior, both design still look unified and not collide with each other.
The café is popular among young visitors because of its comfortable space, completed with eye-pleasing look and quiet atmosphere.