PINCH

Architects: Yevhenii Kuchmin, Andriy TaranCreative supervision: Lena Bryantseva, Slava Balbek3D artists: Khrystyna VusProject manager: Ivan SukhomlynProcurement manager: Kateryna KvishchukTechnical support: Andrii Semeniv, Oleksandr YaroshenkoProject area: 40 sq. mProject year: 2025Location: Lisbon, PortugalPhoto credits: Andriy Bezuglov, Anna Bobyrieva

ABOUT | TASK | PROCUREMENT | DESIGN | TEAM

ABOUT

Pinch Seafood Bistro & Bar is a venue located in the center of Lisbon, Portugal.

TASK

The clients approached the bureau with a request to develop a seafood restaurant interior design with a focus on encouraging interactions between guests and staff – a place where visitors can enjoy specialty coffee in the morning and, in the evening, share a glass of wine, a plate of appetizers, and conversation with friends and bartenders at the counter.

The interior spans just 40 square meters and includes limited seating, a compact kitchen, and a small restroom. It also features a fully equipped bar counter. The venue previously operated as a coffee shop; at the clients’ request, we kept the existing layout.

PROCUREMENT

The Pinch project included procurement services – during the design process, we took on the sourcing, selection, and ordering of interior elements, tableware, and materials, as well as coordination with Ukrainian and Portuguese contractors. The active involvement of Ukrainian companies, combined with our logistical support, allowed the clients to achieve high-quality design and custom solutions that were comparable in quality and visual impact to those offered by European manufacturers.

DESIGN

The bar’s visual design plays on its evening atmosphere – intimate and subdued, with muted lighting. Given the limited space and the fact that strict minimalism would have been too obvious, details became the primary design accents. Pinch is designed in shades of red and green, complemented by an abundance of live plants. Most of the furniture was crafted by the Kyiv-based contractor Verdi based on original sketches by our team.

The floor of the main area is finished with white mosaic tiles by the Portuguese brand Cinca, featuring black speckles that form accent patterns. The walls are clad in green accent tiles by Ragno, while the ceiling and upper parts of the walls are finished with decorative plaster. The wall to the right of the entrance is clad in wooden panels and complemented by matching benches. Lighting is key to the space: accent and wall sconces create an intimate atmosphere. The space is equipped with technical spot lighting by the Belgian brand Modular.

Opposite the entrance are two tables designed according to our sketches, each accommodating four people. The tabletops are made of red Italian Rosso Levanto marble and paired with high Rey chairs by Hay, upholstered in burgundy fabric to match the stone. A large wall mirror with integrated sconces visually expands the space.

The main visual focal point of the interior is the bar counter, finished with Italian Spider Green marble. The countertop extends into a small curved table by the window. The bar stools are steel with vintage green leather upholstery – Amelia chairs by MIDJ. Above the counter is a custom-made triple bottle rack in stainless steel, complemented with fluted glass panels. Integrated lighting within the rack serves as an additional source of light. Bar and kitchen equipment was handled by the Ukrainian company Barex.

To the right, near the large window, seating is arranged along a window bench with small tables. A cabinet is also located here: the upper shelves hold books and decor, while the lower ones are reserved for wine storage.

Opposite the entrance, on the rear wall, we installed a large mosaic depicting a lobster and a crab – symbols of Pinch developed by Barmaleys Studio. At the visualization stage, the bar’s name had not yet been approved, and a neon sign was planned for this area. Later, once the name and brand identity were established, we decided to incorporate them into the panel. The custom smalto mosaic was created by Kyiv-based artist Tetyana Rodkina, founder of the Tsilisno studio. Together with the team, she selected dozens of color shades. The artwork was then delivered to Lisbon, where neon lighting was added to the cocktail glasses.

This part of the venue includes a small guest restroom, the kitchen, and a staff area separated from the main area by a curtain. The staff area provides storage space and a separate restroom. Visually, this zone is unified into a single block by a stainless steel panel that reflects light and adds depth to the interior.

Restroom

An irregularly shaped mirror mounted on a stainless steel sheet reflects a shrimp made of LED strip lights – an element that echoes the mosaic panel. The sink is made of the same Spider Green marble used in the main area.

Exterior

Pinch’s outdoor seating area is divided into two parts – a zone beneath the bar window and tables opposite the entrance, located in spaces previously designated by the city for car parking. In designing the terrace under the window, we sought to extend the interior outdoors by repeating certain visual elements, such as the color of the wooden details. Potted plants along the terrace add intimacy. A branded awning produced by a local contractor provides protection from the rain.

The glass neon signs were manufactured in Ukraine and delivered to Lisbon.

Despite the small size of the space and the challenges of remote design, we succeeded in creating an intimate bistro interior design — a distinctive venue with 25 indoor seats is poised to become a notable destination on Lisbon’s restaurant map.

TEAM