luminous ‘sun’ lamp brightens all-blue ice cream shop interior in madrid, spain

all-blue brando ice cream shop in madrid, spain

In the historic center of Madrid, Spain, Solar and Marta Jarabo’s all-blue Brando ice cream store stands out from its urban surroundings and catches the attention of passersby. Bright blue floors, ceilings, and furniture decorate the interior, while rough polyurethane foam-covered surfaces break the continuity and add texture to the space. Perhaps the most prominent feature of the design is a large sun-like lamp mounted just behind the ice counter that illuminates the interior.

According to the creators, Brando explores the relationship between visual perception and the phenomenology of color with the goal of developing a new commercial model in which consumption is understood as an atmospheric experience.

the Brando ice cream store stands out from its urban surroundings and catches the attention of passersby

all images courtesy of Imagen Subliminal

ubiquitous use of color blurs the perception of scale

Solar (see more here) and Marta Jarabo (see more here) designed the Brando ice cream shop around three basic premises: low budget, the development of a recognizable image, and limited execution time. With these starting points in mind, they created an artificial landscape in which the ubiquitous use of color blurs the perception of scale. According to the designers, this strategy responds to an economy of means as an ecological manifesto, unifying the space and revealing the different historical layers of the site while avoiding demolition and minimizing waste generation.

The entire interior is clad in bright shades of blue, adding a playful touch to the interior and enhancing the visitor experience. The program is divided into two parallel bands separated by protruding polyurethane foam-covered sections that serve as counters, bars, and worktops, allowing maximum flexibility in the remaining space. The central element of the room is a circular lamp made of stretch fabric that draws the attention of pedestrians outside. Thanks to the colors that change throughout the day, this luminous piece brings multiple physical and psycho-emotional qualities to the space, creating an immersive experience far from the traditional ice cream shop.

large windows draw natural light in while a large sun-like lamp brightens the interior

the lamp is installed right behind the ice cream bar, against the bright blue wall

protruding polyurethane foam-covered sections serve as counters, bars, and worktops, allowing maximum flexibility