Croquí Rua Vieira da Silva 16, Lisbon, Portugal Instagram
Croqui is a cocktail bar and production lab created by bartender and entrepreneur Constança Cordeiro. Designed as both a public-facing bar and a working laboratory, it supports daily service while functioning as a central production space for her wider ecosystem of venues, consultancy work, and events.
The concept of Croqui is rooted in experimentation. Its name refers to a sketch or draft - a place where ideas are tested, adjusted, and reworked rather than treated as finished outcomes. Drinks are developed through repetition and observation, with room for failure and refinement built into the process.
Following the process of bringing UNI to life, the brief for Croqui was clear but open. The station needed to function as a central work island, capable of supporting daily production, prep, and experimentation, while also carrying a strong physical presence in the room.
Behind Bars developed a fully bespoke station shaped around that way of working. The starting point was monolithic and brutalist, conceived as a single, grounded object that could act as the creative and functional hub of Croquí. From there, the design softened. Square angles were rounded, proportions adjusted, and the form refined to make it more approachable and easier to gather around.
Functionally, the station prioritises generous work surfaces, larger sinks and wells, and extensive drawer storage for tools and equipment. Everything is laid out to support long working sessions, whether preparing ingredients, testing recipes, or moving seamlessly into service.
A late addition, the two-seat counter, introduced another layer of use. It allows guests to sit close during service, but just as importantly, gives the Croquí team a place to sit with a laptop or notebook during creative sessions. The asymmetry of the final design adds character without compromising clarity, giving the station a presence that feels intentional but unforced.
At Croquí, the station is not a stage. It is a working surface. A tool, a hub, and a place to stand around, sit at, and create.
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Filmed across Croquí, UNI, and the countryside outside Lisbon, this portrait follows Constança Cordeiro through the environments where her work takes shape, tracing how ideas move from thought to drink to space.
