Autentista wine bar

In the vaulted space of a house in the Old Town, a pleasant and cozy area suitable for tasting exquisite natural wines was to be created, according to the brief. The wine bar Autentista specializes in these wines. For the bar owners Bogdan Troják and Antonín Suchánek (among other things, organizers of the successful festival Prague Drinks Wine), it was essential that the created space resonates atmospherically with the wines. It should feel luxurious enough, as authentic wines are indeed a luxurious product, but simultaneously simple and natural, just as these wines are actually produced.

Just as natural wine is meant to be made without excessive additives and with respect for nature, the proposed interior stays true to the principles that the architectural studio FormaFatal has long worked with. The materials are presented here in their original and pure form. Prefabricated steel profiles are not hidden under a perfect pigmented surface finish, their natural color – patina – stands out. The ground construction joints of the steel elements remain acknowledged and uncovered. Hence, these elements, created in this manner, stay authentic.

The used patinated paints underline the antiquity of the house and create a pleasant dim atmosphere. This is further enhanced by numerous indirect LED strip lights, which, with their warm light, outline the contours of the vaults and the entire space. Atypical lights on the walls, shaped like wine just poured into a glass, draw attention. All lights are dimmable, allowing the atmosphere to be programmed for various occasions. Another atypical light above the bar table remains true to the poetry of wine. It is made from a charred acacia pole. Acacia wood poles were often used as vineyard posts, and charring increased their durability in contact with the soil. The reference to wine and nature can also be seen in the gradients on the tables' prints, screed floors, and courtyard painting. The central Moooi Meshmatic chandeliers attract the attention of entering visitors, their straightforwardness and simplicity of form perfectly fitting into the space's concept. They serve as both highlights and pleasant companions.

The wine bar Autentista is a continuation of the investors' efforts to popularize natural wines. The designed spaces of the bar also aim to loosely connect to the former Literary Café that previously operated in the premises. A reference to this historical circumstance is the graphical print on the bar depicting a starry sky map. It is the work of graphic designer Janka Dočekala. The investors' brief was indeed linked to the use of ASCII graphics. Therefore, the bar features an illustration of the starry sky composed of ASCII characters. The winemakers are the stars, creating wine from grapes. Similarly, an image or literature can be created from individual characters.