A Powerful Interior Design that Rivals Industrial Ruins

Sebastian Rossbach and Marco Barth have opened their Pizzeria 22k, designed by destilat design studio, in the venerable bauhaus halls of Peter Behrens' tobacco factory. Built between 1925-39, the building was Austria's first steel skeleton building in the New Objectivity style. The two award-winning chefs are opening a casual culinary playground in the "Falk building" of the radically functionalist industrial building, and the interior design is expected to be just as cool.

Peter Behrens' tobacco factory_bauhaus building
Photo credit: Jürgen Grünwald

The floor plan itself could not be changed due to the strict monument protection requirements. Instead, destilat immersed the 50m² room in deep black from top to bottom, beginning with an existing poured asphalt floor. All of the new wooden elements used in the room are charred in the tradition of the Japanese Shou Sugi Ban technique - a millennia-old finishing method that preserves the material in a natural way, makes the surfaces water-resistant, and gives them a very special aesthetic of varying dark shades.

bar area
Photo credit: Jürgen Grünwald

detail_the bar made of recycled bricks: stacked on sight with a characteristic honeycomb structure, lined with dark joint compound, sanded, edged with black sheet metal
Photo credit: Jürgen Grünwald

kitchen area
Photo credit: Jürgen Grünwald

The central element of the room is the bar made of recycled red plane bricks: stacked on sight with a characteristic honeycomb structure, lined with dark joint compound, sanded, edged with black sheet metal, and effectively backlit. In the midst of the monochrome interior with elegant black Thonet seating, the raw material takes on a museum-like character.

entrance area
Photo credit: Jürgen Grünwald

Photo credit: Jürgen Grünwald

entrance area
Photo credit: Jürgen Grünwald

"Listed buildings are best approached with great appreciation, but by no means with fear," states destilat. "Instead of bowing to history, we confronted the industrial monument with an equally strong interior design."

destilat design studio

With offices in Vienna and Linz, destilat is nationally and internationally active in interior design and furniture design. The firm's creative team is led by Harald Hatschenberger, Thomas Neuber, and Henning Weimer.

destilat develops architectural concepts for private and corporate customers. Each project is approached in a holistic context, resulting in comprehensive, elaborate interior concepts focused on even the smallest details.