Vincent von Thien designs Trader HiFi cafe as a "space that celebrates sound"

Trader HiFi cafe in Hamburg by Vincent von Thien

A cork-clad DJ booth forms the centrepiece of this coffee shop in Hamburg, which its owner Vincent von Thien has designed to evoke the relaxing atmosphere of Japan's jazz cafes.

Von Thien established Trader HiFi in Hamburg's Ottensen district as a cafe for audiophiles that serves coffee during the day and hosts curated listening sessions in the evenings.

The 70-square-metre unit, which previously housed a functionally designed but lacklustre commercial coffee shop, was renovated to create an open-plan layout arranged around the sound system and a central bar.

Entrance area of Hamburg cafe with seating and shelving — Trader HiFi has opened in Hamburg

Existing partition walls were removed, and von Thien designed a wood-framed glazed shopfront that can be opened in the summer months to fully connect the interior with a pavement seating area.

Inspiration for the project came from Japan's postwar listening cafes, known as jazu kissa, where customers would listen to imported jazz records played on high-quality sound systems.

"I wanted to create a place where music could be experienced consciously, a space that celebrates sound with the same care we bring to coffee," said von Thien.

Concrete counter of Trader HiFi cafe in Hamburg by Vincent von Thien — The interior is centred around a poured concrete bar counter

Von Thien explained that, during his visits to listening bars in Japan, he appreciated the way the interiors were designed to ensure the music is respected and becomes the focus of the experience.

"Trader HiFi is a place people come to not just to drink coffee or matcha, but to spend time with sound," he told Dezeen. "It's about presence, focus and creating a shared experience around music."

"Every decision was made in relation to how sound moves through the room and how people inhabit it, without making the space feel overly controlled."

Coffee counter made from concrete — Akari lamps provide gentle illumination throughout

He added that, while his own design doesn't directly imitate the jazu kissa style, he drew inspiration from the low seating, simple materials and high-quality acoustics of these spaces.

"We wanted the space to feel calm, warm and slightly introspective – a grounding environment," he claimed.

Cork-clad DJ booth and floor pillows inside Trader HiFi cafe in Hamburg by Vincent von Thien — The DJ booth is clad in burned cork

"The palette is muted, the materials are honest, and nothing is overly decorative," he added. "Ideally, the room feels timeless: a place that doesn't demand attention but rewards you the longer you stay."

The layout is organised as two distinct spaces, with a hi-fi area at the front and a more intimate nook towards the rear where guests can sit and chat quietly while watching drinks being prepared.

The hi-fi space features low-slung seating, tables and pouffes arranged around the DJ booth. The console is clad in dark, burned cork that was also applied to the ceiling to improve the room's acoustics.

Prominent behind the console are a pair of giant speakers from Berlin-based audio specialist Have A Nice Day, which form part of a sound system made bespoke for the venue.

"The sound system integrates into the space in a way that feels architectural rather than technical," said von Thien.

Small seating area in Hamburg cafe — Further THER's low-slung Rite chair provides a space to sit

At the centre of the cafe is a concrete bar that was cast in situ as one uninterrupted piece, creating a monolithic element that anchors the space.

The concrete's raw and imperfect surfaces introduce an organic, porous texture that contrasts with the cool, reflective gleam of the integrated Modbar coffee-making equipment.

Von Thien chose the cafe's wooden furniture, courtesy of Portuguese studio Further THER, for its "strong sense of craftsmanship", with the low design of their Rite chair, in particular, reminding him of Japanese woodworking.

Seating nook inside Trader HiFi cafe in Hamburg by Vincent von Thien — Trader HiFi also features a more intimate nook towards the rear

Other details that contribute to the space's quiet and considered atmosphere include heavy curtains that help to soften the sound and light, as well as warm, low-level lighting from Vitra's Akari range.

The walls are minimally decorated with mycelium-based acoustic tiles from Hamburg start-up MycoLutions, as well as an artwork by Paul Schrader that was chosen to complement the material palette.

Listening bars and cafes are experiencing a resurgence in popularity around the world, with other recent examples including a sake bar on the ground floor of London's OWO hotel and an all-pink bar in Sydney with shelves housing 15,000 records.

The photography is by Clemens Poloczek.

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