Brand: Mo
Instagram: @select.mo
Client: Rightgrain
Address: Prince Turkey Street, Alkurnaish, Al Khobar 34424, Saudi Arabia
Design: Masquespacio
Instagram: @masquespacio_ana
Instagram: @masquespacio_chris
Surface: 400 m²
Opening: May 2022
About Masquespacio
Masquespacio is an award-winning creative consultancy created in 2010 by Ana Milena Hernández Palacios and Christophe Penasse. Combining the 2 disciplines of their founders, interior design and marketing, the Spanish design agency creates branding and interior projects through a unique approach that results in fresh and innovative concepts rewarded with a continued international recognition by media specialized in design, fashion and lifestyle trends.
They have worked on projects in several countries like Norway, USA, France, Portugal, Germany and Spain. Actually, they are working on different projects in Spain, Saudi Arabia, Cambodia, Germany, Qatar, Italy, France, USA & Austria.
Masquespacio presents the first project it designed for MO, a bakehouse / espresso bar Khobar, Saudi Arabia.
When Omar and Asim from RightGrain, an experience-based company, contacted Masquespacio for the first time it was immediately clear that they were looking to get away from the traditional and create a project that would stand-out from the product and the communication, till the interior design representing the concept of the project, a community driven, highly engaging brand and elevating the overall experience.
Christophe Penasse, co-founder Masquespacio: “It was clear from the beginning that Omar and Asim were ready to challenge us and we were ready to challenge them.”
The first point to be highlighted during the initial conversations was that the main attraction from MO would be the baked goods, presented in the space as jewels with authentic and renewable flavors. For this reason, Masquespacio started to develop a concept based on water which creates magic and life, but it is also the base of any bakery. At the same time water is an element that can distort reality and change our point of views, which is the perfect matching point with MO’s philosophy to do things different.
The space hereby was divided in 3 different parts that each present a phase in the process of making baked goods and coffee with water as the main ingredient. We first have the “liquid state”, where the dough is mixed with water and which makes the connection point of all the different areas of MO’s interior.
In the bar zone a huge waterfall is recreated that makes clear that the central point of the space is the bar with its delicious products for sale. The waterfall was created by sandblasting each tube to create the illusion shape of water and frosting feeling of what is beyond.
In front of the bar, we can find the “solid state” or “ice” area where a huge series of lamps that represent ice are the main attraction point, while next to it we can see some gigantic bulbs showcasing the “gaseous state” as a series of fire bulbs to represent the moment when the pastry is baked in the oven.
Concerning the furniture, every item has been customized and designed for the project, offering different seating options to create different experiences for the visitors from low lounge seating and shared tables to high stools and semi-private couple seating. A grey and white color palette has been chosen with metallic finishes for the tables and fabrics to generate reflections that create the distortion that could be made by water.
On the other hand, the lighting incorporates fully controllable RGB-lighting to set the moods that could convert the space in a different status, being able to represent the overall “different space’ within a space, in campaigns, engagements or talks, which is also extended by the reflections of the space in chrome fabrics, tables and spheres creating another level of optical fusion.
Asim Al Harthi co-founder of Mo: “Mo is a parallel universe. A space where all aspects has been touched by the unknown, the food, the drinks and the interior. With the huge mirror on the ceiling raised 10 meters from ground representing a gate to another world. A reflection of reality and a portal to surrealism.”
This space is not solid. It is interchangeable and dynamic following what the brand has to say. Welcome to the new mood branding.
