The elegant and understated décor of Helsinki’s Bistro Gina may be infused with Italian nostalgia and 1960s glamour, but Fyra’s subtle design is nothing less than timeless
Helsinki design firm Fyra has another good-looking restaurant interior under its belt. Bistro Gina in the Finnish capital’s downtown describes itself as “serving traditional Italian cuisine with a modern twist”.
Fyra, which was set up in 2010 by Eva-Marie Eriksson, Hanna Neuvo, Niina Sihto and Tiina Närkki, works primarily in the hospitality sector. This is not its first project for chefs Hans Välimäki and Arto Rastas in the city; the studio recently completed the French bistro Bardot for the duo.
For Eriksson, the aim at Bistro Gina was to create a “welcoming and laid-back ambience of nostalgic Italy” in the heart of Helsinki. This was achieved through “the colour scheme, soft overall lighting [and] use of graphic tiling and mirrors”.
But how do you exude ‘Italian bistro’ in the chilly Nordics without falling into clichés? “When the synergy between the architectural design and the interior is seamless, the space exudes
a natural and uncontrived ambiance,” she says. “The style transcends a specific time or location, so avoids being bound by trends.”
Bistro Gina is based on the ground floor of a 1960s building, taking up 400sq m that has had a number of previous incarnations as a restaurant. The layout puts the bar at the front, followed by the dining area, and the open kitchen at the back, where diners have a view of the cooking process. It followed naturally from the constraints of the building itself: “The existing pillars are structural and organically divide the space into different functions,” says Maija Leskelä, interior architect and furniture designer at Fyra.
Leskelä and the design team created fixed furniture to define these three zones. The banquettes are made of solid wood and veneer, and the bar of wooden panels has a countertop of red marble. These are paired with dining chairs and bar stools from Italian furniture manufacturer Cantarutti. Meanwhile, the armchairs in the bar are by the Finnish furniture manufacturer Lepo and sit comfortably alongside vintage chairs.
As well as creating decorative plaster panels to clad the pillars, the firm also designed other surface materials and lighting fixtures. The Italian terrazzo flooring has a carpet-style pattern, and some of the surfaces are mirrored. The intention was that elements would be in keeping with the building’s 1960s, retro architecture. Fyra, which was also responsible for the revamped restaurant, bars and reception at Alvar Aalto’s 1931 Hotel Torni, displays its eye for unifying detail throughout the bistro.
It’s particularly on show in “the rounded corners at the bar and tables, and the repeated flow of the curtains on the wall lamps”, Eriksson says. These were created in collaboration with Finnish lighting designer Petri Vainio, who is known for fixtures based on a free-hanging textile spiral that gently filters the light. Meanwhile, the long wall lights are by the Spanish manufacturer Aromas, the sofas are covered in Kvadrat fabric, and the curtains are from Delius and Kobe.
The studio’s choice of elegant materials that will age gracefully and an attention to detail means a trip to Gina’s promises not only a cosy supper or cocktail, but a visually pleasing evening as well. “Everything comes together to create a cohesive entity with brilliant food and excellent service,” says Eriksson. “Compact yet well-planned dimensions contribute to an efficient and inviting space.”
Images by Riikka Kantinkoski
This story was originally featured in OnOffice 165, Winter 2023. Discover similar stories by subscribing to our weekly newsletter here
