Shape, color and burger buns

Among the attributes that come to mind when it comes to fast food chains, the term “sophisticated” is certainly not the first association that springs to mind. But with their concept for the new branch of the Bun burger chain in Milan, the Spanish creative studio Masquespacio pursued precisely this goal. In the Brera district, Ana Hernándezand Christophe Penasse wanted to open up new spheres of sophisticated design while retaining a youthful and fresh touch. The design of a fast food restaurant is not new territory for the office. They have already designed a total of six branches for the Bun chain in Milan and one in Turin, thereby helping to fundamentally shape the brand. While other hamburger chains focus on a vintage or industrial look, Masquespacio take a different approach for Bun. Their designs are colorful and trendy, but at the same time stringent and high-quality.

The first collaboration between Masquespacio and Bun resulted in the store in Bligny in Milan. It shines in shades of green and purple and is unique thanks to the integration of existing bricks andarches. In the Turin store, on the other hand, Ana Hernándezand Christophe Penasse developed their design from the spatial constellation of three shop windows. The designers applied a different shade of color to each of the windows, creating a visual effect from the outside that allows viewers to wander from one world to another.

For the store in Brera, Masquespacio based their choice of colors on nuances they found in their surroundings. Instead of the extremely bright tones that predominate in other Bun stores, this time Masquespacio opted for four coordinated colors in reference to the historic Brera district. These are lilac, avocado green, pastel yellow and pastel blue. Although the look still stands out from the surroundings, it is more mature and sedate than in other bun bistros. At the same time, the designers use the color scheme to create a clear division of space.

In the entrance area, visitors to the restaurant are greeted by a fresh yellow and a delicate lilac hue. There are several small seating niches on raised levels. Two flights of stairs lead to a second area, which is decorated in pastel pink and avocado green. The third room is a special feature. While the first area faces the street and lets in direct daylight through large windows, the third area is set back at the end of the restaurant. However, Masquespacio deliberately staged what at first glance appears to be an unattractive spatial composition. Here, they reinterpreted the swimming pool concept that they had already used in Turin. While in Turin a seating area with light-colored tiles and pool ladders attached to the walls creates the impression of a swimming pool, Masquespacio worked with different materials in Brera. Here, mirrored walls give visitors the feeling of being surrounded by waves. The pastel blue color scheme and the lighting design do the rest to reinterpret the originally rather dark area into a place of discovery.

Terrazzo tiles, gold decorations and wood can also be found throughout the restaurant in Brera. Other aspects previously used in other Bun interiors, such as the play of different levels, the characteristic Bun furnitureand the lighting, also reappear in the Brera branch. In addition, the designers used dried plants in different colors to give the space an innovativetouch while supporting the more mature feel that was set as the theme for the project.

The Bun store is an unexpected location in the historic district of Brera. The design is thus a typical example of Masquespacio’s work. In 2010, Ana Milena Hernández Palacios and Christophe Penasse founded the design studio “with the aim of doing something different… something that makes us proud and passes on our goal of seeking innovation in every project”. With these words, the two themselves describe their approach. The unusual design and brand establishment of a fast food chain is just one of many projects that proves how the ingenious use of colors and shapes paired with a pinch of boldness can create exciting spaces where no one would have initially suspected them.