Słoneczny Milk Bar
2018
Invited by Traffic Design, Syfon Studio reimagined the storefront of Bar Mleczny Słoneczny, a beloved Gdynia institution serving the city since 1959. Drawing inspiration from Gdynia’s modernist architecture, we developed a bold yet restrained system of signage, window graphics and visual details that gives the milk bar a fresh identity while respecting its established character. The result connects the everyday, familiar atmosphere of this long-standing local landmark.
Słoneczny Milk Bar
(Traffic Design)
2018
Filip Tofil
Traffic Design:
Jacek Wielebski
Natalia Wielebska
Michał Lech
Rafał Kołsut
The design process combined visual research with a strong focus on technical feasibility, cost optimisation and the realities of working with an existing storefront. We explored solutions that could be produced simply and economically, including the “Bar Mleczny” lettering, made from metal bases salvaged from discarded objects (thanks to Jacek Wielebski). At the same time, every element had to comply with Gdynia’s newly introduced landscape ordinance, which shaped the scale, placement and character of the signage. Inspired by Gdynia’s modernist architecture, we created a simple and practical visual identity that fits naturally into its urban surroundings.
The challenge was to redesign the storefront of an established local business where even a small visual change can have a significant impact on its future. With a very limited production budget, we had to find solutions that were both affordable and visually convincing, while remaining sensitive to the client’s needs and the character of the place. Working closely with Traffic Design, whose creativity and resourcefulness were essential to the process, we found ways to turn these limitations into opportunities and give the bar a new lease of life without imposing our own agenda. The fact that Bar Mleczny Słoneczny continues to thrive to this day is the best proof that the transformation worked.
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