The foundational design concept for Restaurant Remi in Mitte blends simplicity with quality—mirroring the cuisine that chefs Lode van Zuylen and Stijn Remi present here. The food itself is authentic and straightforward, yet delivers an inspiring culinary experience. Content and form achieve synthesis. This harmony resonates through every detail. The interior architecture was designed by Ester Bruzkus Architekten. The materials are robust and the furnishings are handcrafted. The restrained color palette is dominated by dark-red solid MDF built-ins—a hue that evokes understated harmony.

The restaurant occupies the ground floor of the new office building for Suhrkamp Verlag, designed by Bundschuh Architekten. Within a rectangular floor plan spanning 230 m², the open kitchen and bar form the focal point. Additional compositional elements include perforated aluminum, rough plaster, natural wood-finish chairs, and polished concrete flooring. Tables and chairs are arranged centrally and along the length of the floor-to-ceiling glass walls. Light blue curtains provide a finishing touch. A floating continuous light sculpture with downlights creates atmospheric illumination throughout the space. During warm months, the restaurant can expand onto an outdoor terrace. The acute-angled building at the corner of Tor and Rosa-Luxemburg streets creates an inner courtyard where the restaurant's tables are positioned.

Beyond the overall concept, the designs of the tables and light sculpture also come from Ester Bruzkus herself. Her creations are characterized by contrasts and countless surprises. "You could call it an architecture of opposites: massive and light, curved and linear, rough and smooth, reduced and opulent, colorful and restrained, playful and unadorned," as noted in her portfolio. The distinctive quality of her projects emerges from a dialogue between light and space, materials and color, as well as the specific conditions and characteristics of the existing spaces.

www.esterbruzkus.com

Photography Credits:

Robert Rieger
www.robrie.com

(Published in CUBE Berlin 02|22)