# Shipping Crate Cafes The IT Cafe in Athens was Designed to Reflect Food Packaging By Rebecca Byers | Published 2015-02-23 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/it-cafe References: [contemporist](http://www.contemporist.com/2015/02/21/a-cafe-designed-to-look-like-the-inside-of-a-packaging-crate/) & [divercityarchitects](http://www.divercityarchitects.com/index.php/projects/commercial/it_cafe) The charming IT Cafe in Athens is a fresh food restaurant and event space designed to resemble a [shipping crate](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/e-blue-bottle-coffee-west-bund) by Divercity Architects. The wooden space offers a bright and refreshing place to enjoy a light, healthy meal and hopes to also offer a space for [food-oriented exhibitions and events](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-chapel). The IT Cafe employs a [minimalist timber design](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/12-matcha-caf) that appears modern and suggests to patrons the type of health-conscious, sustainable food they may offer. Divercity Architects set out to create a space that was visually simple and structurally honest, while also remaining cost-efficient. The visual branding employed with this cafe paints an accurate picture in terms of the overall atmosphere and lifestyle of the restaurant, combining contemporary design and food inclinations. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.5/10 - Popularity: 88% | Activity: 69% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Architecture](https://www.trendhunter.com/architecture) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Shipping Crate Aesthetics:** Explore opportunities to incorporate shipping crate-inspired design in various industries, such as retail, hospitality, and event spaces. - **Minimalist Timber Design:** Consider incorporating minimalist timber design elements in architectural projects, restaurants, and interior spaces for a modern and sustainable aesthetic. - **Visual Branding Integration:** Discover ways to effectively integrate visual branding to accurately convey the atmosphere and lifestyle of a business or establishment in any industry. ### Who This Affects Most - **Retail:** Create unique retail spaces by utilizing shipping crate aesthetics to attract customers and create a memorable shopping experience. - **Hospitality:** Introduce minimalist timber design in hotels, resorts, and restaurants to provide a modern and eco-friendly ambiance that appeals to guests. - **Event Management:** Utilize shipping crate-inspired design concepts in event spaces to enhance the overall experience and create a visually striking environment for attendees. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Building-Nestled Compact Cafes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chapel-cafe.md) - [Concrete South Korean Cafes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nonspace.md) - [Artificial Textural Cafe Interiors](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hahouse-cafe.md) - [Sustainable Dine-In Panama Bakeries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/krume-bcker.md) - [Gabled Blackened Wooden Cafes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/harudot.md) - [Wooden Pillar Japanese Cafes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/blue-bottle-coffee-cafe.md) - [Industrial Café Interiors](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/e-blue-bottle-coffee-west-bund.md) - [Pared-Back Coffee Interiors](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/blue-bottle-coffee-shop1.md) - [Minimal Interior Sushi Restaurants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sushibox-restaurant.md)