MARGstudio

FLUID Florence | Designing Specialty Coffee Culture**

Specialty coffee has transformed the way we experience coffee. It is no longer just a beverage, but a culture built around quality, traceability, craftsmanship and human connection.

FLUID Florence is a compelling example of this evolution: a coffee shop where product quality, transparency and customer engagement are embedded into the identity of the space. Here, the counter becomes a stage for storytelling, the brewing process is shared rather than hidden, and coffee becomes an opportunity for discovery rather than a simple daily routine.

This is precisely why designing a coffee shop is far more complex than it may appear.

Behind a seemingly simple and effortless environment lies a sophisticated system of workflows, ergonomics, specialized equipment, customer circulation, acoustics, branding and spatial experience. Every design decision influences both the efficiency of the barista and the way guests interact with the space.

At MARGstudio, we believe that hospitality design requires dedicated expertise and a deep understanding of operational dynamics. Successful coffee shop design is not only about aesthetics; it is about creating environments that perform seamlessly, communicate a clear identity and support meaningful experiences.

Because when architecture and interior design engage with the culture of specialty coffee, the space itself becomes part of the ritual.

In the heart of Bergamo Alta, within the ancient fabric of Via Solata, the ELAV space was born from a primordial gesture: returning to the origin.

A project that still feels remarkably contemporary today thanks to its radical essentiality and its direct relationship between matter, gesture and ritual.

Earth, water, mist, hops.

The intervention takes place inside one of the historic taverns of Bergamo Alta, reinterpreting its convivial spirit through a silent and tactile architecture, capable of engaging with the memory of the place without nostalgia.

At the center of the space stands the long raw-earth beer counter: a monolithic and ancestral element crossing the interior like a line carved by water through the ground. Completing it, a custom-designed tap simulates water falling from above, transforming the act of pouring beer into an almost ritual experience.

In the background, an immersive backdrop evokes the mist of the Bergamo countryside, from which water symbolically emerges — the primary ingredient and soul of ELAV beer — together with hops cultivated in the Bergamo area, fundamental elements of the brewery’s identity.

A project developed together with our friend and colleague Francesca Perani of , with whom the design dialogue became an ongoing exploration of materiality, atmosphere and storytelling.
A collaboration built on shared sensibilities and complementary visions, capable of shaping a space that is both essential and deeply evocative.

A project about territory, ritual and authenticity.
About what remains when everything returns to its essence.

TYPE — Milano, Isola

A small urban refuge where space tells identity.
TYPE plays on meanings: “tipe” as people, encounters, stories — but also “type” as sign, character, a starting point.

Warm wood, raw metal, and a constellation of suspended lights define an intimate atmosphere, balancing precision and spontaneity.

The project works through layers, transforming a compact interior into a recognizable identity.
Hexagonal patterns, graphic signs, and materials build a language that feels both contemporary and familiar.

Located in the vibrant Isola district, right in front of the Blue Note, TYPE is designed as a place to pause — between a coffee, a conversation… and a very good drink.