Anastasiia Tempynska transforms former embassy into "gallery-like" Kyiv showroom
Ukrainian designer Anastasiia Tempynska has completed a lifestyle store in Kyiv where modern materials, including mirrors and tiled surfaces, were used to complement the building's original ornate interior.
The showroom for Ukrainian brand Gunia Project occupies the ground floor of a late 19th-century building located on a historic street near Kyiv's Golden Gate.
Tempynska's studio Temp Project oversaw the conversion of the space, which once housed the Embassy of the Republic of Panama, into a showroom for presenting Gunia Project's clothing, jewellery, accessories and homeware.
The project presented several significant challenges, including a lack of natural light and the landlord's requirement to preserve existing features such as wooden doors, panelled walls, mahogany cabinets and decorative ceilings.
"The question was whether we could fully realise our vision – create a cohesive, functional space while working within such strict boundaries," said Tempynska.
The designer's proposal delivered a series of curated spaces aimed at reflecting the brand's approach to reinterpreting traditional Ukrainian crafts through a contemporary lens.
"The new Gunia Project residence is a space designed to remain relevant for years to come," Tempynska explained.
"It feels more like a concept store or a gallery than a traditional showroom – an elegant, welcoming environment that invites interaction."
The project combines ornate details such as the coffered ceilings and decorative wall panels with minimalist, modern interventions that don't distract from the brand's products.
The store's layout echoes the composition of the collection, with spaces dedicated to different wares.
The entrance leads into a reception area featuring a small lounge and checkout, with a children's corner tucked away at the back.
To the right of the reception is a room filled with ceramics, while on the other side is the jewellery space featuring glass displays, emerald-hued cabinets and irregularly shaped mirrors suspended from the ceiling.
The central clothing area is defined by a circular lighting fixture suspended above a matching carpet and modular bench. A hidden doorway integrated into the cabinets at the rear of this space leads to a private fitting room.
The store's colour palette of greens, blues, pale pinks and beige tones is intended to evoke nature and the pastoral motifs that are a core part of Gunia's brand identity.
Tiles used throughout the showroom introduce a tactile, handcrafted feel to some of the walls and a table used for displaying accessories in the clothing area.
Mirrored surfaces in each space perform functional roles while also creating what the designer described as a series of "Instagram zones" where customers can snap selfies for social media.
The carefully preserved cabinets were modernised by replacing the existing shelves with slender metal structures featuring integrated lighting and glass back panels.
Bespoke wooden furniture designed to reference traditional Ukrainian woodworking is complemented by modern pieces from brands Noom, Woo and Cegla Studio.
The showroom is the latest retail project completed by Tempynska, who has also designed a brutalist-inspired eroticwear showroom and a futuristic laser clinic featuring fleshy materials.
The photography is courtesy of Temp Project.
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