Roots Café by Alaa Basem: Minimalism Meets Nature in Kuwait
Roots Café in Kuwait, designed by Alaa Basem, is a minimalist masterpiece that merges functionality with the natural beauty of the local environment. Specializing in architectural and interior design, Basem’s practice spans over nine years and includes projects across the Middle East and the U.S.
For Roots Café, Basem was inspired by the arid climate and unique landscape of Kuwait, choosing materials like natural wood, sand-textured cement, and greenery to create a calm, immersive atmosphere. The design reflects a refined minimalism, balancing fixed custom elements with inviting spaces for patrons to relax and enjoy.
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Can you describe your design practice? What is your approach to design, and what type of projects do you do?
I’m an architect and interior designer, my Experience in architectural and interior design is more than 9 years and I specialise in 3D Architectural Visualization, working on big-scale projects whether commercials such as cafes, restaurants, Villas or parks landscapes. I have also displayed several engineering projects in KSA, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq and the U.S.A.
I always use different architectural styles in my work depending on the client’s requirements, the location, and the project’s logo can. All of the aforementioned factors affect the design concept
Minimalism Cafe has a distinct, refined aesthetic that aligns with its name. Could you share the initial inspiration behind the design concept, and how did your approach to minimalism shape the overall look and feel of the café?
The Cafe name it’s not a minimalism cafe (Minimalism is just the style, however, the name is ROOTS CAFE)
How did the location and context of the café in Kuwait influence your design choices? Were there any unique site-specific challenges or opportunities that impacted your approach to the project?
Yes for sure, the weather in Kuwait lies in an arid climate zone, so very hot and dry, therefore, the project relied on materials like (natural wood with walnut texture and cement wall paint with a sand effect with a little touch of plants to immerse the cafe visitors and clients into the natural look and feel of the Kuwait’s environment.
The café features a restrained material palette that creates a calm and inviting atmosphere. What was your process in selecting these materials, and how did you ensure they aligned with the minimalist theme while still providing warmth and comfort?
As I mentioned before, the material selection was affected by the natural environment in terms of colour palette, smoothness of the materials, and also the material resemblance to the natural environment in Kuwait.
Many minimalist designs rely on custom furniture and details to achieve a cohesive look. Did you incorporate any custom-designed elements in the café, and if so, what were they and how did they contribute to the overall concept?
Yes, the fixed furniture is an essential aspect of the minimalistic style, in this cafe, the fixed features like;
The fixed Sofa in front of the cafe bar, this central fixed sofa is also connected with the wall design behind it, and I added plant features as part of the natural environment look and feel.
In the middle of the cafe, I added a fixed table that extended from the wall’s wooden design.
A fixed bar overlooking the window connects the internal space to the outside outdoor areas of the cafe, to ensure the client’s privacy (both sides), I created a semi-partition of plants.
Fixed shelved recessed in an ellipse-shape wall, this is used in cafe products display.
How did you ensure that the minimalist design also created a comfortable and inviting atmosphere for patrons? Were there specific design elements or strategies employed to enhance the overall user experience while maintaining the minimalist ethos?
The cafe design served two main aspects; the first aspect of the design is dedicated to serving the patrons visiting the cafe to either purchase cafe products and/ or cafe machines so, the design has different shelves and displays for this purpose. The second aspect of the design is dedicated to the usual hangouts for couples, and individuals to study, work, socialise and hang out.
