The “Zafiri Cava Deli” which hosts the largest collection of Greek and international wines and other spirits from all over the world is located on the coastal street of Konstantinos Lombardos in Zakynthos.

By: Costas Gagos

A project whose design and construction was supervised by the team of Costas Gagos Architecture & Design.

Looking at the project for the first time, one is confronted with the emblematic arches, an element of local architecture, which adorn the exterior – window of the store, which dynamically define the path to the entrance. Both the exterior and the interior facades were designed with the aim of highlighting the island character. Inside the store, the choice of metal and wood textures, always combined with the aged shades of colours, indirectly refer to the interior of an old mansion.
On the ground floor of the store the display of the products was done in such a way that they highlight the respective label & at the same time are useful in their storage. The bottlers are served by high metal stairs, referring to an old library. An important place in the shop is occupied by the cellar, referring to the classic and traditional cellar, also known as a ”fortress”, in which the exact labels are kept, secured in drawers.

Moving to the upper floor of the shop, one sees a special meeting and tasting area, comfortable and welcoming, to provide the ideal environment for tasting an extensive collection of wines, aperitifs and flavours.
The choice and placement of Venetian furniture completes the feeling of a traditional mansion. Moving through the space gives the feeling of wandering through a small alleyway. The connection between the loft and the ground floor shop is achieved by the creation of the three internal balconies, as a reference to the houses of the island. Finally, the aim of the design team, both through the form and the choice of materials, was to create a new landmark on the beach of Zakynthos, offering a contemporary rendering of local architecture.