The Q Caffe In Cluj Is A Metaphor Of Man’s Path And Evolution In Society

6th Sense Interiors recently completed an amazing new project and we’re very excited to show you our first impressions and ideas regarding its design. For the two designers that created 6th Sense and for the numerous artists and experts they collaborate with, every project is a new challenge and a new opportunity to create something completely unique and original. Their latest creation is a coffee shop located in Cluj Napoca, Romania, the place where it all started. Q Caffe is a giant metaphor and we wouldn’t expect anything less from this talented pair of designers.

The Q Caffe is a place full of symbolism and hidden, meaningful features. It's like a giant metaphor
The Q Caffe is a place full of symbolism and hidden, meaningful features. It’s like a giant metaphor
With contrasts at every step, the caffe focuses on dramatic visual effects and impactful interior decor details
With contrasts at every step, the caffe focuses on dramatic visual effects and impactful interior decor details

Q Caffe’s interior is a mesmerizing expression of the steampunk decor direction which we’ve already explored in more detailed when we talked about the Abyss Pub or Enigma Cafe. Stepping inside this coffee shop is like entering a whole new world, a theatrical world of dreams, metaphors and fantastic figures. The designers compared the space to a story where each room represents a chapter. It’s a story about people, about the human nature and the things that define our hierarchical and limiting society, a story inspired by our hopes and dreams but also about our fears and failures.

Every wall, every ceiling and every corner is unique and designed to symbolize something deep and special
Every wall, every ceiling and every corner is unique and designed to symbolize something deep and special
This is a mural sculpture depicting a human chain, showcasing faceless silhouettes drawn into a whirlwind
This is a mural sculpture depicting a human chain, showcasing faceless silhouettes drawn into a whirlwind

The first room is dominated by the Icarus figure which covers up the entire front side of the bar and which symbolizes  the concepts of freedom and sacrifice. This sculpture is a metaphor for our aspiration towards freedom in a society full of distractions and constraints. The ceiling is decorated with Edison light bulbs hanging from a series of sculpted hands which together with the tongues displayed above the bar represent the noise of our daily lives. The transition towards the second room is made through an eye-catching mural sculpture. The Human Chain is made up of several faceless silhouettes drawn into a whirlwind, symbolizing our loss of individuality and humanity.

The silhouettes symbolize individuals being absorbed into the whirlwind of life, already devoid of individuality
The silhouettes symbolize individuals being absorbed into the whirlwind of life, already devoid of individuality
All the tables in the caffe are hand-painted with images inspired by various famous personalities and their works of art
All the tables in the caffe are hand-painted with images inspired by various famous personalities and their works of art
The hot air balloon at the center of this space is an element of equilibrium meant to bring hope in a chaotic world
The hot air balloon at the center of this space is an element of equilibrium meant to bring hope in a chaotic world

The second room’s focal point is the ceiling which depicts the massive whirlwind that we mentioned earlier. This is also the space that balances out all the negativity induced by the other symbols by introducing the hot air balloon which represents hope and equilibrium.

The balloon is resisting the whirlwind and the visual effect of this whole installation is mesmerizing
The balloon is resisting the whirlwind and the visual effect of this whole installation is mesmerizing
The colors used throughout are magical, creating an ephemeral decor and a feeling of being inside a crazy dream
The colors used throughout are magical, creating an ephemeral decor and a feeling of being inside a crazy dream

The third chapter of the story is based on the idea of transformation. This is where you’ll find the suitcase wall which symbolizes immaterial baggage and the burdens that society drops on individuals. This space also features a metallic steampunk installation on the ceiling. It looks like an octopus and it symbolizes the predator that feeds on man’s emotions, perceptions, ideas and experiences.This is also where we see the dream world and the fantasy universe pushing past reality’s birders and transforming it.

One of the spaces features a metallic steampunk installation on the ceiling which looks like an octopus monster
One of the spaces features a metallic steampunk installation on the ceiling which looks like an octopus monster
The octopus fixture symbolize the predator and suggests than the man in general is the pray
The octopus fixture symbolize the predator and suggests than the man in general is the pray

In addition to all the wall and ceiling installations, Q Caffe also impresses with an amazing attention to detail materialized into an entire range of fixtures and decorative elements. For instance, all the table tops and hand-painted to illustrate passages from Dante’s Divine Comedy or reconstitutions of Da Vinci’s sketches. There are also numerous art pieces on the walls as well as four character sculptures: the machine man, the praying man, the chaotic man and the man with no scruples.

The caffe also features four unique and very symbolic characters. The machine man is one of them
The caffe also features four unique and very symbolic characters. The machine man is one of them
This is the praying man sculpture, another symbolic character beautifully displayed in a corner
This is the praying man sculpture, another symbolic character beautifully displayed in a corner
The chaotic man sculpture is very dramatic and very detailed and its symbolism can be interpreted in various ways
The chaotic man sculpture is very dramatic and very detailed and its symbolism can be interpreted in various ways
The sculpture called man without scruples is perhaps the most dramatic and memorable of all
The sculpture called man without scruples is perhaps the most dramatic and memorable of all