Circadian brews a new ritual inside Berlin’s brutalist Funkhaus

When Japan hosted world leaders for the 2019 G20 Osaka summit, its organisers put gyokuro tea at the top of the menu. Served to the delegation during the event’s formal reception as an acknowledgement of its diplomatic weight, the pouring of this singular Japanese tea told a story of ceremony and respect.

Inspired by China’s internationally respected tea heritage, gyokuro emerged in the early 19th century as a product of Japan’s ambition to develop its own signature tea. Unlike traditional sencha green tea, which is grown in the sun, gyokuro can only be grown in the dark, shaded by up to four layers of textile that gradually obscure natural light. Served to prominent international guests in moments of high-stakes diplomacy, this ceremonial tea was originally reserved for imperial court poetry readings and state occasions.

Eastern philosophy: Tour Circadian tea atelier in Berlin

Today, two cultural histories converge with the present at the new HQ of Berlin-based tea atelier Circadian. Across 230 sq m of minimally renovated interiors within Funkhaus – East Berlin’s GDR-era former radio broadcasting centre, designed by Bauhaus-trained architect Franz Ehrlich – Circadian founder Mahmoud Abdelhafez has realised his vision for an ambient space, uniting principles of sensuality through taste, tactility, sight and sound. Sunshine pours through the atelier windows, illuminating an original Soviet-era timber floor, a ghostly remark on the building’s history.

A bespoke, poured-concrete table, produced by a Swiss maker in a north Berlin workshop, features a hefty top and sculptural pedestal, while embedded LED light strips mark the midpoint, intentionally separating the guest side, defined by a row of five Pierre Jeanneret-inspired oak and rattan chairs, from the serving side. Traditional tea ceremonies place a lead guest at the head of the table, but Abdelhafez has opted for a more egalitarian seating philosophy that invites groups of up to five to share a more intimate, guided experience.

Building on ideals of modernism borrowed from Japanese design principles and the Bauhaus, Abdelhafez has created an atelier that can offer a unique experience alongside precise, technology-driven tea production inspired by traditional brewing techniques. Embracing what he refers to as the ‘tension’ between old and new through a blend of vintage furniture and bespoke brutalist designs, features that complement the space’s industrial feel, Circadian’s home speaks a minimalist language enlivened by material storytelling.

Coveted by Berlin’s gallerists, tastemakers and business executives as an alcohol-free alternative to ritualistic refreshment, Circadian’s ice-brewed gyokuro tea is served not in ceramic cups, as one might expect, but in delicate, long-stemmed wine glasses by German glassware brand Zieher. ‘We are borrowing from the sake tradition, with a nod to wine-drinking principles,’ says Abdelhafez. ‘The tea is not highly aromatic; gyukuro is a controlled aroma, and the closed glass shape concentrates it. As with wine, the long stem should maintain the cool temperature.’

Abdelhafez took on the raw space at Funkhaus as a singular shell, void of division. While maintaining the building’s architectural essence is a condition of long-term access (with its conservators insisting on preserving the original eggshell-blue painted concrete pillars and beams visible at the rear), partition walls have been introduced to create a regulation-compliant production space. Housing specialist brewing equipment, including bespoke pressurised tanks adapted from cider-making processes by Norwegian company Brewtools, this largely invisible but essential zone is grounded by original 1950s floor tiles and a new drainage system, where old and new converge.

‘I think the most prominent note on designing the space has been not messing with what was already here,’ says Abdelhafez. ‘We have retained the same look and feel, without interfering too much with the original shell, designing the interior to fit.’

While only the front third of the atelier is used for ceremonial purposes, the mid-section serves as an open kitchen and office space for the Circadian team, and has been designed with equal intent. Copper tiles and sinks in the kitchen and bathroom consider the metal’s innate antimicrobial properties, while the black finish that frames the kitchen is continued across the ceiling. ‘Black is the equaliser of all teas,’ explains Abdelhafez. ‘In a busy tea auction market, all teas are usually lined up on black plates. Farmers, buyers and sellers can instantly see if there are any impurities with the tea on black plates.’

Decorative elements are kept to a minimum within the atelier, save for a handful of plants and some sparsely hung abstract works by Swiss artist Tanja Schaub. Abdelhafez references the influence of Swiss geometry on his vision for the atelier, a design approach rooted in the precision and grid-structure-focused graphic design style that emerged in the 1950s, the same decade in which Funkhaus was constructed. While misplaced minimalism has been known to hint at a hollow brand philosophy, Abdelhafez’s vision for Circadian comes to life with conviction, amplifying the authenticity upheld by his personal pursuit of the art of gyokuro.

Circadian is located at Nalepastrasse 18, 12459 Berlin, Germany

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