Icon - Arrow LeftAn icon we use to indicate a rightwards action. Icon - Arrow RightAn icon we use to indicate a leftwards action. Icon - External LinkAn icon we use to indicate a button link is external. Icon - MessageThe icon we use to represent an email action. Icon - Down ChevronUsed to indicate a dropdown. Icon - CloseUsed to indicate a close action. Icon - Dropdown ArrowUsed to indicate a dropdown. Icon - Location PinUsed to showcase a location on a map. Icon - Zoom OutUsed to indicate a zoom out action on a map. Icon - Zoom InUsed to indicate a zoom in action on a map. Icon - SearchUsed to indicate a search action. Icon - EmailUsed to indicate an emai action. Icon - FacebookFacebooks brand mark for use in social sharing icons. flipboard Icon - InstagramInstagrams brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - PinterestPinterests brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - TwitterTwitters brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - Check MarkA check mark for checkbox buttons.
You are reading

Coffeewerk + Press: A Quiet Design and Coffee Shop in Galway

Search

Coffeewerk + Press: A Quiet Design and Coffee Shop in Galway

September 16, 2016

The small port city of Galway, Ireland, was recently named the European Capital of Culture 2020 for its innovation and art. But walk through its ancient cobblestone streets and you’re more likely to encounter dark pubs, signs written in traditional Gaelic, and other markers of its long history—not so much modern design. So when I dropped into the yellow-and-white-fronted Coffeewerk + Press on a recent rainy Sunday in search of a good cup of coffee, I was delighted to discover not only a charming, modern cafe but, at the top of a gray-painted staircase, two tucked-away, quiet rooms of thoughtful design objects and local art. Housed in a 400-year-old building, Coffeewerk seeks to “create a dialogue between design/coffee and our local community,” says owner Daniel Ulrichs. Here, a look inside the shop.

Photography by Nathalie Marquez Courtney, courtesy of Coffeewerk + Press, except where noted.

coffeewerk + press cafe 17

Above: The small coffee shop on the first floor serves elaborate, almost scientific pour-overs, in partnership with roasters such as Denmark’s Coffee Collective, from behind French oak and steel cabinets. “Everything was custom made,” Ulrichs says. “I wanted to create a space that was unique and inviting to people from all walks of life.”

coffeewerk + press pour over 18

Above: Coffeewerk is an ideal haven for a cup of coffee—or tea—on a rainy day. The copper dripper is by Kalita in collaboration with Tsubame.

coffeewerk + press postcards and products 19

Above: The cafe offers a hint at the design shop hidden above. Tucked on the top shelf is a cornflower-blue tallow candle by Netherlands design company Ontwerpduo, a pair of felted slippers from Glerups, and sculptural hourglasses from Hay. Artists’ work sold in the third-floor gallery is available in postcard format.

coffeewerk + press design shop 20

Above: Follow a winding staircase at the back of the cafe and you’ll find yourself in the design shop. In one corner, the original walls were left exposed; wooden storage benches provide a quiet place to read design magazines.

coffeewerk + press design shop products 21

Above: Geometric wooden candlesticks by Onshus and biodegradable bamboo-fiber cups and containers by Ekobo are some of the thoughtful objects on display. Photograph by Annie Quigley.

coffeewerk + press desk supplies 22

Above: Desk supplies and sewing scissors by Merchant & Mills are, like many objects in the shop, utilitarian but beautifully designed. Photograph by Annie Quigley.

coffeewerk + press fireplace and chairs 23

Above: The third floor is a quiet art gallery. Vintage Ercol armchairs flank the original fireplace; a stretch of unpainted wood flooring is a quirky detail. Photograph by Annie Quigley.

coffeewerk + press gallery window view 24

Above: The gallery is a bright, quiet space above busy Quay Street. The mobile is by Flensted.

coffeewerk + press gallery view 25

Above: Coffeewerk originally began as a publisher of local artists’ work; the third floor is now dedicated to art prints, like this mushroom illustration (top left) by local Irish artist Jane Carkill. Photograph by Annie Quigley.

(Visited 244 times, 1 visits today)
You need to login or register to view and manage your bookmarks.

Have a Question or Comment About This Post?

Join the conversation

v5.0