Designed by: @h.a.n.d.hifi x @vincentvonthien

Captured by: @clemenspoloczek

Trader HiFi is a coffee shop and listening bar in Hamburg’s Ottensen district, designed by its owner, Vincent von Thien. Inspired by Japan’s postwar jazu kissa, the project combines a daytime café with curated evening listening sessions, creating a space where music and coffee are experienced with equal attention. The existing 70-square-metre unit was reconfigured into an open-plan interior centred around a custom sound system and a monolithic concrete bar, while a new timber-framed glazed façade opens the café towards the street during the warmer months.

Rather than replicating the aesthetics of Japanese listening cafés, the project draws on their atmosphere and spatial qualities. Low seating, simple materials and carefully considered acoustics encourage visitors to engage with the music while maintaining a calm and welcoming environment. The layout is divided into two areas: a hi-fi listening space at the front and a quieter seating area at the rear, where guests can watch drinks being prepared.

A cork-clad DJ booth forms the centrepiece of the main room, surrounded by low tables, seating and a bespoke sound system featuring speakers by Berlin-based audio specialist Have A Nice Day. Burnt cork continues across the ceiling to improve acoustic performance, while the cast in-situ concrete bar anchors the space with its raw, monolithic character. Integrated coffee equipment introduces a subtle contrast between rough concrete and reflective stainless steel.

The material palette is completed with handcrafted timber furniture by Further THER, heavy curtains that soften light and sound, and warm lighting from Vitra’s Akari collection. Acoustic wall panels made from mycelium by MycoLutions and an artwork by Paul Schrader add the final layers to the interior, reinforcing the project's restrained atmosphere and its focus on material, sound and craftsmanship.