Herzog — Munich, Germany

Maximilian Gradl and his partners originally intended to open a champagne bar, but after a survey of the light-filled L-shaped space in a postmodernist pile built in the late 1950s by Sepp Ruf and Theo Pabst, the Zurich-based architects Build_Inc had more ambitious ideas.
The result is a sexy bar, lounge and restaurant that combines contemporary lines with an unabashed vintage vibe that’s completely in keeping with the building’s architectural heritage. The terrazzo floor is inlaid with strips of brass that demarcate the separate spaces. Dark grey drapes and furnishings, and deep black walls and pillars provide a dramatic contrast, while thin veins of brass strips break away to create geometric edges along the window panes, sofa arm rests, and table corners.
The bar menu is equally beguiling. The Paper Wave – a heady cocktail of spiced rum, Irish whiskey, sherry, burnt orange slices, and caramelized pineapple – sets the scene for a dinner of artichoke ravioli and red chard, and pancetta-inflected potato bread.
ADDRESS
Maxburgstraße 4
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
-
‘A beginning is a dialogue’: Simone Bellotti reveals a first glimpse of his vision for Jil Sander with an EP and music video
Titled ‘Wanderlust’, the music video and EP is a collaboration with Bochum Welt, signalling an esoteric start to Simone Bellotti’s tenure at the house before his runway debut later this year
-
Interni Venosta’s vases are made from laundry detergent bottles
Britt Moran and Emiliano Salci of Dimorestudio have conceived a series of expressive vases whose starting point is a humble plastic bottle
-
How an icon of Japanese Metabolist architecture took on a life of its own – even after its destruction
When Kishō Kurokawa designed the modular Nakagin Capsule Tower more than 50 years ago, he imagined it boarding ships and travelling the world. Now it has, thanks to a new show at MoMA
-
Hamburg’s new food court Le Big TamTam offers traditional flavours in an irreverent setting
Le Big TamTam, designed by Studio Aisslinger, marks a new era in Hamburg’s hospitality-rich Hanse District
-
Inside MM:NT Berlin Lab, the new futuristic aparthotel captivating the tech-savvy
Wallpaper* spends two nights at the currently-on-trial MM:NT Berlin Lab, a digitally hosted escape for guests who value independence
-
Fire and salt fuel the new Beef Club eatery at Volkswagen’s Autostadt
Beef Club, revamped by Ester Bruzkus Architekten, turns to fire and salt in its cooking as well as its interior inspiration
-
Hamburg’s Central Congress Bar is all about 1960s smoky boardroom glamour
Central Congress Bar in Hamburg offers an unconventional and retro respite from the working week
-
Rosewood Munich’s opulent elegance embraces its historic features
Rosewood Munich balances historic detailing with modern luxury to create a quiet German escape
-
Locke at East Side Gallery: step inside its characterful interiors in Berlin
Locke at East Side Gallery in Berlin opens its doors; get ready to check into its dynamic interiors by Grzywinski+Pons
-
Villa One at the One & Only Palmilla — Los Cabos, Mexico
-
Martim — Wroclaw, Poland