A blend of quality and simplicity
Remi – an inviting restaurant in Berlin's Mitte district
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, Ester Bruzkus herself designed the tables and the light sculpture. Her work is characterized by contrasts and unexpected elements. "One might call it an architecture of opposites: massive and lightweight, curved and linear, rough and smooth, restrained and opulent, colorful and understated, playful and refined," as noted in her portfolio. The distinctive quality of her projects emerges from a dialogue between light and space, materials and color, and the inherent conditions of the existing spaces.
www.esterbruzkus.com
Photography Credits:
Robert Rieger
www.robrie.com
(Published in CUBE Berlin 02|22)
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