Mirzoyan Studio’s Kyiv bar is a cosy bolthole for music lovers

Photography: Yevhenii Avramenko

Envisioned as a trendy haven for vinyl enthusiasts, a new bar has opened its doors on the first floor of one of Kyiv’s most popular stays, the Bursa Hotel. Designed by Mirzoyan Studio, Bursa Bar is the brainchild of Ukrainian interior designer Nastia Mirzoyan, who led the latest hospitality venture to completion despite the ongoing war in her home country – crediting her continued work with offering “a sense of normalcy, comfort and hope” amid such chaos.

The chic, atmospheric concept is located in the heart of Podil, one of Kyiv’s most historic neighbourhoods, and is already emerging as a popular hub for musicians, lovers of live music and vinyl collectors – or simply those looking to enjoy a cocktail or two. Working with a more compact footprint, Mirzoyan opted for an uncomplicated layout with three clearly defined zones: positioned at the back wall, a DJ booth with burgeoning shelves of vinyl; central to the space, a dancefloor for guests to enjoy live sets; and either side of the dancefloor, two sets of bar counters for guests to sit and enjoy drinks or small plates.

Dark-stained plywood and exposed industrial floors dominate the bar’s material palette, helping to cultivate a laid-back, effortless aesthetic. A tiled bar in warm orange and forest green tones acts as one the concept’s main focal points, furnished with simple, stainless steel bar stools where guests can bend in elbow and share a cocktail.

As a venue celebrating great music and live events, one of Mirzoyan’s priorities for the concept was great acoustics. Her studio invested in a high-performance Ojas sound system by New York artist Devon Turnbull, while also incorporating significant acoustic insulation to prevent noise from disturbing hotel rooms above. Despite lowering the ceiling height, the studio turned this acoustic measure into a design feature with a lattice structure and integrated light fixtures, as well as using it to conceal ventilation systems.

With limited natural light from the street-facing windows, isolated task lighting was used throughout to brighten seating areas, while soft linear lighting serves to emphasise the shelving units holding the vinyl collection and various bottles of spirits behind the bar. The intensity of these lighting systems can then be adjusted, helping staff to cultivate the desired mood depending on the time of day. Making the most of the natural light available, however, Mirzoyan positioned bar stools and stainless-steel countertops at the bright alcove windows, creating a space for guests seeking a quieter spot away from the sound system.