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Schutzenberger Pub – “Palais de la Bière”
- Strasbourg, France
The Schutzenberger pub is located in the city center of Strasbourg. The place, a sort of long narrow corridor of 8 x 40 meters links the Grandes-Arcades street to a major square, la Place du Temple-Neuf. It has a long history going back to the French revolution.
The commission implied to redesign it and update its tradition as a Bierstub. The architect has maintained the ceiling out of curved glass bricks which provide for a subdued light in the daytime. In order to inflate the space, the long wall facing the bar is clad with semi-reflective glass on which images of old logos and ads of the pub are projected. Moreover the wall features monitors showing the passers-by on the neighboring street and the square. Together with the semi-reflection and refraction of the images of the patrons of the place, the wall becomes blurred so as to make the limits of the place uneven to appreciate. The trick is inverted in the basement where a long semi-reflective glass wall exhibits the apparel which provides in a space which is left untouched while keeping the viewer – and user of the toilet – protected – cheap thrills, which have become part of the show in places. The bar and furniture were designed by the office: table-tops out of zinc in the old café manner, colorful chairs, and soft arm-chairs for the ‘club’ side.
A fresh look in the contemporary café life of the city.