Vinklu Turns Forgotten Plot in Bucharest Into Tiny Coffee Shop

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In the heart of Bucharest, where historic buildings stand shoulder-to-shoulder and every square foot of land is precious, a narrow plot on Bazilescu Street has been transformed into an unexpected jewel in the urban city. Known simply as The Chapel, this tiny coffee shop by Vinklu, led by architect Stefan Pavaluta, demonstrates how a challenging site can become an opportunity for innovation.

The Chapel sits on a residual plot so slender that most would have dismissed it as unusable. Instead, Vinklu embraced the site’s limitations, turning them into defining features. Rising as a sharp triangular prism, the building maximizes its modest footprint while achieving an unexpectedly dramatic vertical presence. The lot’s extreme narrowness forced bold design moves, resulting in a structure that feels both daring and delicate.

A modern narrow house with a sharp triangular roof and large orange-tinted glass facade is built between two older white buildings. A wooden bench is in the foreground.

Nearly the entire facade is wrapped in high-performance, triple-glazed glass, allowing daylight to flood the space. By day, the building acts as a prism, refracting and reflecting its surroundings; by night, it glows like a lantern, becoming a luminous marker within the urban environment. The interplay of transparency and illumination makes The Chapel not only a space for contemplation but also a work of public art.

Close-up of two adjacent building facades, one with white horizontal siding and the other with dark metal panels and large orange-tinted glass windows reflecting light and tree branches.

A narrow, modern building with a sharply pointed roof stands between two larger buildings; people are seated outside under a tree.

Given the site’s tight constraints, much of the structure was fabricated off-site. This method minimized construction waste, reduced disruption to the neighborhood, and allowed the building to take shape quickly. The lightweight steel frame supports the glass walls, balancing strength with transparency.

A narrow, modern glass-fronted building with a pointed roof is wedged between two larger structures; people are sitting and standing outside under a tree.

A narrow, triangular glass structure is positioned between two white buildings with exterior air conditioning units and leafy branches partially framing the view.

Rather than competing with the adjacent mature tree out front, the design incorporates it as a natural canopy, providing shade and grounding the project in its environment. The tree enhances The Chapel’s connection to nature, offering visitors an indoor/outdoor feel within the bustling city.

Three people sit on benches outside a modern white building with a sign that reads "Boiler" next to trees and greenery.

A small modern kitchen with wooden walls, blue cabinets, a coffee machine, and a sharply peaked ceiling with a window showing an airplane in the sky.

A woman uses a sewing machine in a narrow, modern room with sloped wooden walls; a man enters through a door at the back.

A modern kitchen corner with a blue countertop, stainless steel sink, coffee machine, stacked cups, and bags of coffee on a wooden shelf above a purple backsplash.

Inside, light-toned wood softens the effect of the glass exterior, creating a warm and intimate atmosphere. The height of the acute triangular roofline exaggerates the sense of scale, making the interior feel far larger than its footprint suggests. Despite measuring only 463 square feet, the space feels open and welcoming. The design fosters a sense of intimacy – ideal for tiny gatherings or a quiet cup of coffee alone.

A modern, cone-shaped wall sconce casts a distinct shadow on a wooden wall illuminated by angled sunlight.

A person sits in a narrow wooden hallway with a tall, triangular glass window overlooking trees and a street outside.

A small round table with a metal support attached to a light wood bench, with shadows cast by sunlight through glass.

A small, modern pool is adjacent to a white building with a triangular glass structure and a backdrop displaying the "Reconnect" logo. Green plants line the pool area.

What sets The Chapel apart is its ability to do so much with so little. It proves that small-scale interventions can have a massive impact on how people experience the city. By transforming an overlooked urban lot into a destination, Vinklu has created a new narrative for how we can inhabit tight spaces.

Tall, narrow building with a steep triangular glass facade situated between two white walls; a person stands at the open entrance below.

A-frame micro house with a glass front, wood interior, and modern lighting, nestled between two buildings at dusk. A person walks by in the foreground.

A narrow, modern house with a steep A-frame roof is illuminated at night between two larger buildings, with car light trails visible in the foreground.

Aerial view of a residential neighborhood at dusk, featuring multi-story houses, parked cars along the street, and trees surrounding the buildings.

Aerial view of a residential neighborhood at dusk, showing houses, a driveway, streetlights, parked cars, and trees lining the street.

To learn more about The Chapel and Vinklu, visit vinklu.com.

Photography by Vlad Patru.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.





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