Sweet Alchemy by Kois Architects

Sweet Alchemy is a pastry shop in Athens whose design was developed around the idea of alchemy as a notion associated with darkness and mystery, practiced in laboratories full of peculiar enigmatic devices, distillers and potions. The punctured bronze skin of the main facade creates the impression of a golden cage, a contemporary chamber of treasures, enclosing precious and rare commodities. The element of transparency within the space was manipulated in order to diffuse the light and filter visual penetration, while the constant alternation between light and shadows creates a unique atmosphere for every hour of the day, where serenity is followed by tension and drama and visa versa. In line with the cooking philosophy of Stelios Parliaros – its owner and most well-known pastry chef in Greece – the materials chosen were raw and natural iron, bronze, copper and wood that were kept intact rather than being altered to emulate other appearances.