At élan, the art of brewing takes center stage

What was once Magnat Kaffehus' showroom in the historic Kvadraturen district of Oslo has been reimagined as a flagship destination and a showroom for coffee craftsmanship. The new space has been carefully shaped and colored to create a deeper coffee experience, engaging the senses and drawing guests into the rituals that surround the craft of brewing.

The open floor plan encourages interaction and connection across roles and throughout the space. At its heart stands a circular counter made from stained oak with a solid countertop, paired with a sculptural volume of solid cork that has been organically carved in 3D and heat-treated to bring out its warmth and character.

"Rather than creating a conventional counter where guests and baristas stand on opposite sides, we wanted to create a new center point for the interaction," says Peter Girgis, Interior Architect at Snøhetta.

"I think there's magic in creating curiosity around everyday routines. One way of achieving that is to shuffle the pieces around a little."

I think there's magic in creating curiosity around everyday routines. One way of achieving that is to shuffle the pieces around a little.
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​Peter Girgis, Interior Architect, Snøhetta

Inspired by the coffee cherry

Élan’s color palette draws inspiration from the coffee cherry, which conceals a silvery-gray membrane beneath its deep red skin before revealing the coffee beans themselves, which in their raw state have a distinctive turquoise green hue. This color has been echoed in the large overhead installation of speakers, where a bespoke soundscape envelops and guides guests through the space, from the central circular counter where orders are placed to the quieter seating areas beyond.

“Cork is a richly textured, acoustic material that brings warmth to the interior. It is matte, warm, and porous, offering a tactile quality that we were particularly drawn to. It is also a breathable and renewable material,” says Marlene Fenger Vedal, Head of Interior Architecture at Snøhetta and project lead for élan.

The ceiling and counter plays the main roles

All furniture pieces were custom-made, and like the counter, crafted from heat-treated cork.

"We didn’t want furniture with too much character of its own. Instead, we wanted pieces that would complete the overall expression while allowing attention to remain focused on the heart of the space, creating a sense of calm and balance. The ceiling and the counter are the lead actors here, while the furniture belongs to the ensemble, functioning as an integral part of the fixed interior,” says Vedal.
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​“The interior is almost monolithic. The counters, cabinets, and walls feel as though they have been carved from a single material,” says Girgis.

A smaller, separate room at the rear of the café, with its own entrance, is also clad in cork and anchored by a coffee-brown Array modular sofa designed by Snøhetta for MDF Italia. The room can be reserved by élan and Magnat’s customers for meetings and small gatherings.

The sound of élan

The idea for the soundscape, The Sound of élan, emerged during the architects’ early concept development. Composer Jonas von der Fehr created the sound installation, which accompanies guests through the different zones of the café, from the energy and movement surrounding the bar to the quieter seating areas beyond.

The starting point was to give each part of the café its own musical character, while leaving room for conversation and the life of the space itself. According to von der Fehr, an important aspect of the composition was creating music that works regardless of when guests arrive or how long they choose to stay.

The compositions unfold gradually, allowing guests to discover new details over time without having to follow the music from beginning to end.
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​​ Jonas von der Fehr, composer

"The compositions evolve gradually, allowing listeners to discover new details along the way without having to follow the music from beginning to end. The score was also composed with a sound shower in mind, where audio is delivered through a directional horn suspended from the ceiling. As a result, the music is designed so that guests can move in and out of it, whether they pause for a brief moment or stay to listen for longer,” he says.

The soundscape is atmospheric and understated, with subtle, gradual shifts that create a sense of movement over time. In this way, it leaves room for both attentive listening and a more subconscious experience of mood and ambience.

Style, Energy, and Elegance

Magnat Kaffehus has been based in the distinguished Sjøfartsbygningen building for the past ten years. Designed in the Nordic Neo-Baroque style, the richly articulated brick façade features intricate ornamentation in oxidized copper. The turquoise hue of the ceiling installation also nod to this detailing, connecting the new coffee bar to the building’s architectural heritage.

Magnat is a supplier of premium coffee machines and also an importer of specialty coffee, with its own coffee laboratory. Here, roast profiles and brewing methods are continually explored, alongside the development of proprietary syrups and flavour combinations.

The café élan serves as the company’s showcase, and its name is derived from the French word for “style, energy, and elegance.” Beyond shaping the concept and interior, Snøhetta also developed the visual identitiy for élan. The signature turquoise green is carried through the branding and paired with deeper dark brown tones. The colours are, however, balanced differently to create contrast with the physical setting while maintaining a cohesive experience across touchpoints.

Under the conceptual banner of boundless, the visual identity explores the open, playful, and indefinable. Its visual language points toward something abstract and slightly elusive, something that can be interpreted and discovered, yet never fully explained. Microtypography, graphic patterns, and animations are therefore shaped by an organic and abstract expression that invites curiosity and personal interpretation.

“The coffee cherry is some sort of a strange fruit. And in many ways, élan is a strange fruit in Oslo. Not because it seeks to provoke, but because it represents something different. Something slightly abstract and mythical, something the city has not seen before,” says Marlene Fenger Vedal.

All images: Pernille Sandberg/Snøhetta

élan:

About Jonas von der Fehr:

Jonas von der Fehr is a composer, music producer, and touring DJ performing under the artist name Fehrplay, as well as the founder of Tenet Studio. He has been releasing music and touring internationally since 2012, and since 2024 has also composed for film, television, advertising, and other creative projects.

Contact:

Ida Halvorsen Kemp

Marketing Communication Manager, Snøhetta Oslo

• ida@snohetta.com
• +4740872072