If you wonder whether you are entering a bakery or an art gallery, you are probably at Atypique, a place that unsettles expectations, as its name suggests. This artisan bakery and specialty coffee shop has been renovated by Zooco Estudio, founded by Miguel Crespo Picot, Javier Guzman Benito and Sixto Martin Martinez, on the ground floor of Santander’s Siboney Building. The project begins with this location: a 20th-century architectural landmark in the city, whose expressive and Art Deco language contrasts with the historicist surroundings of Puerto Chico.

The studio wanted the building’s “atypical” character and exterior presence to permeate the interior. Across its 100 square meters (1,076 sq ft), forms and textures are reinterpreted from the outside in. The building’s architecture, with its cylindrical volumes, horizontal bands, porthole windows and planes of red brick combined with others rendered in grey, is carried into the space. Curved lines, circular elements and a fragmented, organic composition abound, enveloping the visitor.

Natural and local materials define the project, including clay paint, stainless steel, wood and limestone. The latter becomes the main element of the imposing central counter. Brutalist in character and carved from Cantabrian stone, a split-face limestone from the municipality of Val de San Vicente, the counter is combined with gray and reddish tones that pay tribute to the colors of the original building. The plan is rational and responds directly to the operational needs of an artisan bakery and cafe, clearly separating the preparation area, the tasting area and the services.

To give the space a stronger identity, custom furniture and lighting were designed. Zooco’s custom luminaires are paired with Antoni Arola’s Bijou, suspended above the largest table, placed between the counter and the artisan bakery. With its glossy pure red lacquered surface, Bijou brings precision and presence to the space.