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Article from issue 7/2000 »Refurbishment«

Café in Berlin

documentation p. 1215 - 1219
Architect Nalbach + Nalbach | Structural Engineer Strach, Klaus-Peter + Riehn, Helmut |

Drafts
Horizontal section through facade 1:10
Plan/Section 1:200
Site plan 1:1250
Vertical section through facade/roof 1:10

The glazed volume of Café Bravo forms the centrepiece of a listed block that has been refurbished to accommodate exhibition spaces, artists’ dwellings and studios. Inserted into the courtyard of what was formerly a margarine factory, the café was based on an idea of the US artist Dan Graham. The reflecting, angular front of this structure is contrasted with the surrounding light-coloured rendered facades. The layout of the front part of the café is based on two squares, turned at an angle to each other. The silvery, laminated-glass windows facing on to the courtyard are set flush with the polished stainless-steel supporting members, so that the facade has the appearance of a zigzagging mirror. Integrated into this face are room-height glazed doors with automatic controls. The roof over the front part of the café is also in glass, and the rear concrete wall is clad over its entire area with mirrors. The smooth screeded floor and the exposed concrete side walls form a subdued contrast to the facades. The café derives its unique character from its shimmering, reflecting surfaces and the interplay between internal and external space.